What you need to know to use LibGuides

 

Customizable Look and Feel

You have the ability to control the style of your guide by adding tabs and by selecting different types of content boxes such as:

• Gallery Boxes – Put images or information in a grid or set it to scroll across the screen.
• Rich Text/Dynamic Content/Scripts - Enter any type of formatted text (including html), links, or dynamic javascript code.  You can also embed custom scripts, iFrame, etc.
• Simple Web Links - Enter a series of links inside the box.  Each link has a title, url, and an optional short description which appears when the user hovers over the link.
• Links and Lists - Create a bullet lists of web links and non-web link items (regular lists).  Each item can have a short description which appears underneath the item, and an optional More Info button which the user can click to get more information. We can track the usage statistics (outgoing clicks) for the links.
• Books from the Catalog - Describe any number of books and provide links to them from the Library Catalog.  Images of book covers can also be included.
• Documents & File - Allows uploading of any number of files to your guide.  Individual files cannot be larger than 5MB each.  Each file can have a short description (255 characters).
• Google Web, Books, Patent, or Scholar - These search boxes can be added to within the guide.  A default search term whose search results will show when the user loads the guide can be added to Google Web or Scholar can also be added.
• Interactive Polls - Enables us to create a short poll on your page.  Create a question up to 6 choices for your poll.  Each poll has a URL and you can view real-time results.
• Embedded Media and Chat Widgets -The Embedded Media & Widgets box allows us to add video, audio, or any other widget on your guide.
• Podcast Feeds - Podcast box enables us to display the contents of a podcast feed on your guide.
• Surveys and Forms - We can add class surveys and forms to their library learning experience on your guide.
• E-Reserves - If you have an e-reserves list for your class through the library, we can add the e-reserves list as a page.

 

How To Get a Guide

To request a LibGuide, contact Helen in the Library at hcozart@rangercollege.edu or 254-267-7022.  With some basic information I will create a Guide for you and set up a few items in it.

I will create a user account for you and work with you to create the content, look, and feel you want to present.  I can provide plenty of examples of how faculty across America in your field are using LibGuides to give you ideas.  It is a smoother process if you come to the library.

You will have full access to your Guides, enabling you to make edits as often as you wish – imagine making changes between classes because of something you learned that day!

Once you have a Guide

I will send you your login information and a link to the Guide I create for you.  From there, you can login.  After you do this, you will see a tool bar across the top that has

LibGuides > Home > Content > Tools > Discussions > Statistics > Admin > and Help. 

All your tools are in here and you are free to build and play.  You cannot do anything that cannot be undone, so explore and experiment.

Your initial tool, however, is the basic LibGuides.  Look in the Content tab.  The first item is Guides.  When you click on it, you should see all your guides.  From here you can create new guides but also click on any you already have to edit them.

Springshare, the creators of LibGuides, have excellent tutorials, webinars, and Q&A.  They even have a forum you can post questions, though it is a good idea to ask in the Library first.  We may have already done what you are trying to accomplish.  No need to reinvent the wheel.

Here are some links that may help:

First, visit the Help Center  https://ask.springshare.com/libguides.  Their tutorials are great, with plenty of screen shots to show you what to look for.

Forum to ask other users how to do things:  https://lounge.springshare.com/

Community of pages.  These are LibGuides posted to be reused and recycled.  Someone has already done the work, so you just have to change to our logos.  At the very least, you can get ideas for things to do.  https://community.libguides.com/

I find one of the best tricks is a Google search starting with the word LibGuides.  Try something like ‘LibGuides edit font’ or ‘LibGuides add image.’

 

Ranger College and Golemon Library Uniformity Standards

Our use of various communication media reflects directly upon us.  The images, symbols, websites, and written material we submit before the public defines who we are and creates a shared perception of our institution.  Our brand must be consistent.  We represent a single institution, and even though our campuses, programs, and activities are diverse, it’s important that we communicate a consistent message throughout all of our recruiting, advertising, and promotional materials.  This consistency helps build a successful and cohesive communication effort and establish Ranger College as a regionally recognized institution. 

Please refer to the guidelines contained in the style guide when preparing written material, using the Ranger College official logos, or creating LibGuides.  There may be times when brand rules should not apply, perhaps for artistic reasons, or because of the particular aim of the material being prepared.  Branding is not meant to stifle creativity.  Your writing is your own, even when edited according to the principles in this brand manual.  Think of brand rules as packaging:  they don’t affect what you put in the box, but they do ensure that your message—and the Ranger College brand—will be consistently delivered.

Your LibGuides are your own.  The Library does have some standards we would like to see across all our pages for uniformity that comply with the College Style Guide but they are not meant to prevent you from expressing your individual classroom vision.  LibGuides is customizable far more than the options you can toggle on and off.  If you have a little skill in HTML, CSS, or Bootstrap you can make any feature your toy to play with as you please.  We can work with you to bring your vision to life. 

In general:

LibGuides offers the option to put tabs across the top or down the left side.  At Ranger College, we put them down the left side.  Your new guide will default to this style.

When creating a new box in a LibGuides, we toggle on the Floating Box, meaning the box is displayed without borders, padding, or title.  The reason for this is that our standard font for ease of reading is sized much larger than the automatic font generated for a box name.  The tiny size of the box name is one aspect of a LibGuides that cannot be changed, so we simply turn it off.

Our primary font is Arial.

Main topic headings are in Arial, 28, bold, centered, color Ranger purple #59178A.

Subheadings are Arial, 22, bold, left aligned, color Ranger purple #59178A.

Content is in Arial, 14, justified, black (#000000).

Finally

You may notice that Springshare offers many tools.  Golemon Library only subscribes to three:   LibGuides, LibApps, and LibWizard.  You are familiar with LibGuides.  Lib Apps is our Content Management System that helps our website function.  LibWizard manages forms, so you might like it.

You are free to play in any of them.  If you explore any of the other tools and see something you think would be helpful to you, let us know.  With enough support, we may be able to get the budget to add new items to our toolkit.