Library UX

Publishing Checklist

General

• LibGuide and page titles follow naming conventions and are brief, clear, & descriptive
• Your LibGuide starts with a box that introduces the guide and provides and short overview of its content
• The default system font is used and set at a minimum of 16pt for readability
• Headings are formatted in rich text editor and start with Heading 3 for content structure 

Customize your guide

• Guide type and group assigned
• Friendly URL or URLs are assigned and follow naming conventions
• Profile box with image or author box is added to your home page and contact info is up-to-date
• Includes a Creative Commons license on the guide on the home page or last page to signal how others can reuse your work.
• Attribution is visible and clear for reused content, images, or AI-generated assistance

Layout

• Guide uses side navigation
• Guide has box-level navigation for selected page
• Content (asset links, books, databases, boxes, etc.) reused when possible
• Each box covers one main idea or task
• Headings are formatted correctly to create structure for the page
• Content is thematically chunked into pages and boxes

Writing for the web

• Text written with how people read and use online content in mind (i.e. they skim, not read)
• Tone is welcoming, approachable, and student-centered
• Headings are used to guide the reader and inform
• Resource lists are kept short, helpful, and organized in order of importance
• Resources have useful descriptions designed to help students succeed with their task
• Plain language is used throughout and jargon is used minimally

Accessibility and inclusivity

• Boxes are ordered and placed based on responsive design principles, (e.g. boxes display on mobile in correct order, tables are not used to create structure for the page, and images are sized with percentages)
• All images have alt-text descriptions and are sized with percentages for responsiveness.
• Link text titles are descriptive (e.g., ‘click here’ is avoided)
• Database or link descriptions display beneath the link title
• Tables are not used unless they are formatted for accessibility
• Content reflects a diversity of perspectives and avoids bias or exclusionary language

Review

• Guide has been proofread and all links tested
• Guide has been viewed on multiple devices to check responsiveness
• Guide has been reviewed by a trusted peer at the time of publishing or soon after
• You have reviewed the maintenance checklist

The content on this page was adapted from the following content:

National University. NU SpringShare Playbook:Libguide Publishing Checklist

Florida International University. LibGuide LibGuide: Libguide Publishing Checklist

Boston College Libraries. LiGuide Standards and Best Practices: Publishing Checklist

Washington State University. LibGuide Design: Best Practices and Guidelines: Best Practices LibGuides Checklist

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Getting Started with Libguides: Best Practice Guidelines Checklist