What are LibGuides and can I make one?
LibGuides have replaced the old “subject guides” that “bibliographers” used to make. Now we’d say that “the subject liaison created a LibGuide” instead. Here’s where we list them:
The front page looks like this:
You can see they are subdivided by subject area, just like the old resource guides. In the middle at the top you can also “browse all 173 guides,” which lists them alphabetically, or search them in the search box.
One thing we decided to do early on was have a page on every guide called a “Quickstart.” This page offers the very top most important resources for that field: 1-2 databases, maybe the handiest stack locations, maybe the best encyclopedia. Here’s an example:
Notice also that every LibGuide highlights its author and encourages patrons to ask for help. Suddenly, you’re a rock star!
LibGuides are easy to make – really. Each box is a premade component that you then fill-in-the-blanks. So I might want to make a list of journals linked to their ALICE records. I used pull-down menus to make a “lists and links” box, then click “make a link” for every title, give it a name, copy the URL, and voila, lovely list. Like this:
Also, Tim Smith has created a “LibGuides Toolbox” which has many pre-programmed boxes for searching databases, explaining general research principles, etc., so you can just copy these into your LibGuide – a box, a tab, a page, or a whole guide is easily pirated, I mean, shared.
You should go exploring here. It’s a gold mine.
Not to mention a whole world of LibGuides at other institutions, guides other librarians have created, to give you more ideas than you can imagine.
But, also, there are so many things you can do with LibGuides. They don’t have to be just a subject guide. Some libraries have made a LibGuide their homepage: one Guide to rule them all, so to speak. We have LiGuides for help for
Online learners: http://libguides.library.ohiou.edu/access.
How to do a webinar: http://libguides.library.ohiou.edu/webinar
Popular Vs Scholarly sources: http://libguides.library.ohiou.edu/periodicaltypes
What other uses could you imagine? Could your staff or students benefit from information organized in this way? If you want to make a LibGuide, contact Tim Smith to get a login, and jump right in.
Here’s your task: find a libguide on a subject that interests you. Look at the tabs and boxes until you discover a resource you did not know existed. Open and learn about that resource. Our library is full of things we don’t even know about; learn about one new one and then you can check off this Tech Tip.
Post Author: Sherri Saines
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