New Library website launched
Built with the help of 1,500 staff and students, it's now mobile-responsive, with a new look, simpler navigation and new search options
The new Library website is up and running. A big thank you to over 1,500 students who helped to make it happen by giving suggestions and feedback, and to those who tested it with us. We couldn’t have done it without you!
You told us you wanted streamlined navigation, to be able to use the site on mobile devices, and a cleaner, less cluttered design, when we surveyed staff and students in October 2016.
We’ve created a responsive website with improved navigation and usability that can be used on any device, desktop, tablet or mobile. We’ve kept the guidance and support across the site the same, but we reviewed and improved all the content to be up-to-date, relevant and concise.
We’ve used all the feedback from surveys and user testing over the last couple of years, and we’re still collecting more to iron out any niggles with the new site, so let us know what you think.
What’s changed?
The major changes to the site are:
- More prominence given to the Library search as the most frequent task, with new search options to make results more relevant
- Clearer opening hours and library locations information
- “Essentials” links provide quicker routes to key tasks for staff and students from the homepage, eg making items on reading list available for students; open access and research data management services, suggest a purchase
- A new Referencing section bringing together advice on citing and referencing for different types of material with Leeds Harvard and Numeric styles
- Study and research support is brought together for a full view of the library support for learning and research, with sub-sections for Skills@Library (academic skills) and Researcher@Library (research support)
- Revamped Special Collections pages, with a new Research spotlights section containing in-depth commentary on key items and collections, and an improved digital image viewer
- New combined Galleries webpages for both the Treasures of the Brotherton and The Stanley & Audrey Burton galleries
- New Highlights galleries showcasing the beautiful and rare on display and in our Special Collections.
The Library search, classic catalogue and account systems remain the same, and you’ll find a more succinct subject databases page with searchable features in the new site.
We will continue to tweak design and content over the next few months to try to make the site as good as it can be, in response to the feedback we receive.
Watch a tour of the new website to see where your favourite webpages have moved to:
Minerva links and bookmarks
If you have bookmarked links into the library website, or created links from Minerva, they might not work from Tuesday 30 January. The majority of links will redirect to the new page, but otherwise you will get a ‘page not found’ message.
Why make a new website?
We built a new site because the content management system we used was at the end of its life. It needed a lot of maintenance and was at a stage where it posed a risk to our services. We wanted to make the site suitable to use on different screen sizes and devices, as our analytics show a growing use of tablets and phones to access library services. The site was also looking dated and not in line with other University websites.
Help
Try the improved "Search Library site" feature from the magnifying glass at the top right if you can’t find what you’re looking for, or contact the Library for any enquiries.
You can also let us know what you think of the new site by completing our Library website feedback form.
