LibGuides Standards and Best Practices

LibGuides is an easy-to-use content management system deployed at thousands of libraries worldwide. Librarians use it to curate knowledge and share information, organize class and subject specific resources, and to create and manage websites.  

This basic guide is designed to help creators make their LibGuides as effective as possible, highlighting things to consider as you arrange, publish, and maintain your guide.  This is by no means a complete list of best practices, but a short and concise list to help you make your LibGuides more user-friendly.  Please see the "Additional Resources" below for more extensive information.

If you are a PMA staff member that has identified a topic and think it would be well suited for a LibGuide, please contact the Library & Archives to discuss your project and acquire a LibGuides account.

Things to consider as you begin your guide:

• Your guide should be an introduction to the best resources rather than a comprehensive list.
• The goal is a user-centered LibGuide, but if your guide is so detailed the reader can’t get through it, or so involved that you can’t keep it up to date, it doesn’t do you or the user any good.  Strategize to create minimal work for you to manage your guide’s upkeep.
• Writing for the web and for paper are different.  On the web readers tend to scan information rather than reading word for word.