Library UX

Your tone sets the stage for how readers feel when they visit your page. A warm, friendly voice helps people feel comfortable, safe, and encouraged.

Simple ways to sound welcoming:

• Write directly to the reader: Use "you" to create a personal connection.

• Keep your language friendly and positive: Choose words that encourage, not instruct.

• Offer help openly: Remind readers they can reach out any time with questions.

• Let your words smile: Pick language that feels human and warm.

A welcoming voice builds trust and helps readers feel like they belong.

People scan, they don’t read. When someone lands on your page, they’re hunting for specific answers — not reading word for word. Help them find what they need fast by keeping your writing clear, direct, and short. Help them save the the cognitive load for their research.

• Get to the point: start with the most important information

• Use active words: Strong, direct language is easier to understand and more engaging.

• Write short sentences: Clear, concise sentences reduce confusion and keep readers moving

• Chunk content for easy scanning: Break text into small sections with white space or bullets to support quick navigation.

​​​​Use everyday language that supports readers.

• Use simple words: Skip the SAT vocabulary.

• Write informally: Talk directly to readers using "you."

• Stick to active voice: Say who’s doing what.

• Avoid library jargon: Explain or reword terms like "stacks" or "resources"

Clear writing builds trust and makes information easier to use.

Big blocks of text can overwhelm readers. Breaking content into smaller chunks and using lists makes it faster to scan and easier to understand.

Here’s how to chunk your text effectively:

• Focus on one idea per paragraph: Keep paragraphs short and purposeful.

• Use bulleted lists for sets of ideas, features, or options.

• Use numbered lists when describing steps in a process.

• Leave plenty of white space: It gives users' brains a chance to breathe.

Good chunking saves readers’ energy, so they can focus on learning.

Headings are the first thing people notice when they land on a page. Good headings help students navigate the content: they show them where to go and what to expect.

When writing headings, make them:

• Guide the reader: Break up content with clear, meaningful headings that show what’s coming next.

• Stand out: Use clear formatting and strong wording.

• Grab attention: Use active, engaging language.

• Meaningful: Show what the section will help them accomplish.

• Consistent: Box headings should have all the major words capitalized and inbox heading should use sentence casing

Long lists of databases or resources can overwhelm students and stall their progress. Research shows that too many options lead to decision fatigue and confusion and not clarity.

Instead of listing every possible resource, guide students toward what will help them succeed on their task. 

• Prioritize 3–5 core databases and/or tools that best match the assignment, subject, or academic level

• Label with purpose: Use short, student-centered descriptions (e.g., “Best for finding peer-reviewed articles on education policy”)

• Group content by task, not by format or alphabet—think Start Here, Need Background?, Ready to Cite?

• Use visual cues like icons or callout boxes to highlight top picks

• Link sparingly—avoid duplicating every source from the A–Z list

Resources for Writing on the Web:

Washington State University. LibGuide Design: Best Practices and Guidelines: Writing for the Web

MIT Libraries. Writing for the Web: Guidelines for MIT Libraries: Home

Janice (Ginny) Redish. (2012). Letting Go of the Words : Writing Web Content That Works. Morgan Kaufmann.

Krug, S.(2014). Don’t make me think, revisited : a common sense approach to Web usability. New Riders, Peachpit, Pearson Education.