[Update 2008.12.19: we have made some changes to the navigation. The latest Navigation Schema is here.]

We are happy to present the latest iteration of our effort in redesigning the OSUL website. You can catch up on some of the preliminary steps to design the navigation on a previous blog post, it also talks about the nine page types on the site which will come up a little later.

The site map attempts to be representative of how visitors to our site will navigate from the first layer, the more general choices on the left through the second and third layers, or more specific choices towards the right. Our choices of how to sort the pages were informed heavily by the usability exercises that the Web Usability Committee performed.

There are several ‘stacked’ boxes on the site map with labels like ‘Resource X’ linked from a box labeled ‘Resource’. These denote a page listing all of the instances of a specific page type (see, I told you it would come up!) and then the instance itself. These instances may or may not have dependent pages as well. (It should make sense once you look at the map.)

The first level consists of broad categories of items that will help our visitors find what they need to do. I have tried to describe them below.

• Find Stuff – This is one of the most important reasons people visit our site. This will contain links to the methods of finding materials, our various collections and exhibits, the subjects, reserves and loan information. This is the the set of tools that patrons will use to find the materials and information that they need. ‘Stuff’ seems very informal, but it is also exactly as vague and non-technical as we need it to be, encompassing all the different modes of information that patrons use.
• How to Find Stuff – The instruction manual to the tools, this is also a place to highlight our instructional charge as a university library and help us raise the information literacy of our patrons.
• News & Events – All of the things that are happening in OSUL. Most of these were pretty easy to order.
• Programs & Projects – Information about the different content-generating and stewardship projects and programs that OSUL is a part of. These are pages describing the programs; the actual content or collections will be found under ‘Find Stuff’.
• About Us – What website is complete without it. Ours will feature our Locations, our internal Departments, and our Partners, the organizations that we work with, but aren’t necessarily part of the OSUL group, e.g. OhioLink, TELR, the CIC.
• My Stuff – More stuff. This is the place for users to maintain their catalog account as well as some collections of service links that we will put together. These collections were the result of our usability testing, a heavily requested alternate navigation system.

The benefits are pretty convincing. We’ve readdressed the navigation from a global point of view, so rather than an organic collection of buildings and departments, we are presenting ourselves as The Ohio State University Libraries. This should make it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for, as well as things that they weren’t. The first two levels will be available on every page in the site via some dynamic navigation. This means that most general information is no more than two clicks away from any page on the website. We also think that this will help us promote the services that we have been working so hard to provide in a more efficient manner, allowing our patrons to make more informed decisions in fulfilling their needs and helping the university community appreciate the diversity of services that we offer.

Please take some time and familiarize yourself with this schema, thinking about where your information might fit and what it might be to navigate it as a visitor. We would love to hear what you think.