This week I will go over Web Links in my oh so riveting description/instruction on how to put together a LibGuide.
Web Links are probably the easiest of the functions to use and understand.
Web links consists of either “Simple Web Links” or “Web Links with more information.”
I have not used Simple Web Links for any of the LibGuides I have produced. I don’t recommend this function to libraries. If a librarian is planning on recommending a website he/she should write a description (coverage, navigability) of the website much like the excellent Association of College & Research Libraries News Internet Resources and Internet Reviews website and not a simple list of sites with hidden descriptions. A list of websites with no immediately obvious guidance can be intimidating, especially for a new user.
It is possible to add a description of a website in the Simple Web Links, but the user must place the mouse over the link in order for the description to pop up. If a librarian is going to write a description of the website regardless (and don’t we always have to justify why we include websites?) why hide it? I don’t understand why anyone would choose not to have the description out where it can be seen immediately. Perhaps, to some, this is an aesthetic issue.
Web Links with more information offers the LibGuide author the ability to write a short (256 characters) description of a website along with the link title and URL. This is my preferred method of recommending websites to the users. It provides the user with an immediate, precise description of what will be found at the recommended website.
Web Links with more information provides users the chance to rate the websites using stars (as you can see above). If a website is consistently given 1-2 stars it should be removed. If a website is often given a high rating perhaps that is a website that should be brought up in class when teaching the class next term.
This is also an invaluable means of conveying previous success to potential users. If a new user notices a certain website has 5 stars they will be more likely to use it (just as we are more likely to go to 4 star restaurants, if we have the money). Stars are a means of feedback for the librarian and for the users themselves. Simple Web Links does not offer a rating system; yet another reason to use Web Links with more information. I wish Springshare (perhaps I will write them suggesting this) offered a star system for suggested print resources and suggested databases.
Both Simple Web Links and Web Links with more information offer up to the minute statistics of website use. I find this useful because it makes it very easy to point to use for a reason for keeping or dropping a website.
That is pretty much it when it comes to adding websites to a Libguide. I should mention that it is possible to add hyperlinks in Rich Text/Images/Scripts box (which I wrote about last week), but it is not as easy or as useful as the Web Links functions.
I will write about using RSS and Podcast feeds next week and perhaps I will even get to embedded videos.
