Comments on: Labels – Consistency and Context http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/ David Lee King is the Digital Branch & Services Manager at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, where he plans, implements, and experiments with emerging technology trends. He has spoken in the U.S. and Canada about emerging trends, website usability and management, digital experience planning, and managing techie staff, and has been published in many library-related journals. David writes the Internet Spotlight column in Public Libraries Magazine with Michael Porter. David maintains a blog at http://www.davidleeking.com Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: K.G. Schneider http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-23538 K.G. Schneider Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:53:01 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-23538 Context: won a cool hat at the Google booth at ALA last year. Took it off after several hours when I realized that on the back, very much out of context, it said "I'm feeling lucky."<br><br>On labeling, are ya testin'? Are ya are ya? Context: won a cool hat at the Google booth at ALA last year. Took it off after several hours when I realized that on the back, very much out of context, it said “I'm feeling lucky.”

On labeling, are ya testin'? Are ya are ya?

]]> By: davidleeking http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-7716 davidleeking Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:26:16 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-7716 Right now, we're going with Research as a general header for our databases and subject guides, and then just using both "newspapers and magazines" and "journals" to get our databases. We'll see how that works. Anyone else have good ideas here? Right now, we’re going with Research as a general header for our databases and subject guides, and then just using both “newspapers and magazines” and “journals” to get our databases.

We’ll see how that works. Anyone else have good ideas here?

]]> By: davidleeking http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-25629 davidleeking Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:26:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-25629 Right now, we're going with Research as a general header for our databases and subject guides, and then just using both "newspapers and magazines" and "journals" to get our databases. We'll see how that works. Anyone else have good ideas here? Right now, we’re going with Research as a general header for our databases and subject guides, and then just using both “newspapers and magazines” and “journals” to get our databases.

We’ll see how that works. Anyone else have good ideas here?

]]> By: Cynthia Bledsoe http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-7715 Cynthia Bledsoe Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:46:23 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-7715 So, have y ou figure out a good label for your databases. We've been talking about this at Charleston County Public Library (SC), realizing that Research databases is a truly unhelpful phase. So, have y ou figure out a good label for your databases. We’ve been talking about this at Charleston County Public Library (SC), realizing that Research databases is a truly unhelpful phase.

]]> By: Cynthia Bledsoe http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-25628 Cynthia Bledsoe Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:46:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-25628 So, have y ou figure out a good label for your databases. We've been talking about this at Charleston County Public Library (SC), realizing that Research databases is a truly unhelpful phase. So, have y ou figure out a good label for your databases. We’ve been talking about this at Charleston County Public Library (SC), realizing that Research databases is a truly unhelpful phase.

]]> By: Meredith http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-7675 Meredith Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:24:58 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-7675 Great post, Dave! I was closing up the library on Friday and saw a sign in the periodicals area that I hadn't noticed before. It said "Periodicals do not circulate." Now, do our students know what a periodical is? Do they know what circulate means? I seriously doubt it. I didn't when I was 18. Why not "Magazines Can't Leave the Library" or something like that? At least that will make sense to people. We need to look at everything in our library with the eyes of someone who has never been in a library before. And maybe that means dragging people who don't use the library around the library (or the website) with the promise of free food. My husband, who really dislikes libraries, always notices things I never would. It's nice to get insights from those who aren't heavy users of the library. And, yeah, I was wondering what your shirt meant too when I saw it on Flickr. ;) Great post, Dave!

I was closing up the library on Friday and saw a sign in the periodicals area that I hadn’t noticed before. It said “Periodicals do not circulate.” Now, do our students know what a periodical is? Do they know what circulate means? I seriously doubt it. I didn’t when I was 18. Why not “Magazines Can’t Leave the Library” or something like that? At least that will make sense to people.

We need to look at everything in our library with the eyes of someone who has never been in a library before. And maybe that means dragging people who don’t use the library around the library (or the website) with the promise of free food. My husband, who really dislikes libraries, always notices things I never would. It’s nice to get insights from those who aren’t heavy users of the library.

And, yeah, I was wondering what your shirt meant too when I saw it on Flickr. ;)

]]> By: Meredith http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-25627 Meredith Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:24:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-25627 Great post, Dave! I was closing up the library on Friday and saw a sign in the periodicals area that I hadn't noticed before. It said "Periodicals do not circulate." Now, do our students know what a periodical is? Do they know what circulate means? I seriously doubt it. I didn't when I was 18. Why not "Magazines Can't Leave the Library" or something like that? At least that will make sense to people. We need to look at everything in our library with the eyes of someone who has never been in a library before. And maybe that means dragging people who don't use the library around the library (or the website) with the promise of free food. My husband, who really dislikes libraries, always notices things I never would. It's nice to get insights from those who aren't heavy users of the library. And, yeah, I was wondering what your shirt meant too when I saw it on Flickr. ;) Great post, Dave!

I was closing up the library on Friday and saw a sign in the periodicals area that I hadn’t noticed before. It said “Periodicals do not circulate.” Now, do our students know what a periodical is? Do they know what circulate means? I seriously doubt it. I didn’t when I was 18. Why not “Magazines Can’t Leave the Library” or something like that? At least that will make sense to people.

We need to look at everything in our library with the eyes of someone who has never been in a library before. And maybe that means dragging people who don’t use the library around the library (or the website) with the promise of free food. My husband, who really dislikes libraries, always notices things I never would. It’s nice to get insights from those who aren’t heavy users of the library.

And, yeah, I was wondering what your shirt meant too when I saw it on Flickr. ;)

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-7674 K.G. Schneider Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:37:58 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-7674 Context: won a cool hat at the Google booth at ALA last year. Took it off after several hours when I realized that on the back, very much out of context, it said "I'm feeling lucky." On labeling, are ya testin'? Are ya are ya? Context: won a cool hat at the Google booth at ALA last year. Took it off after several hours when I realized that on the back, very much out of context, it said “I’m feeling lucky.”

On labeling, are ya testin’? Are ya are ya?

]]> By: joshua m. neff http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-7672 joshua m. neff Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:37:04 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-7672 Here in Johnson County, we've been thinking about this a lot, too, and we're doing loads of testing with staff and patrons to make sure we're using terms people understand well. For example, our website's search box currently lets you search the website or the library catalog. But for most users, what's the difference between the library website & library catalog? We know they're two different things (unfortunately *sigh*), but they don't. Here in Johnson County, we’ve been thinking about this a lot, too, and we’re doing loads of testing with staff and patrons to make sure we’re using terms people understand well. For example, our website’s search box currently lets you search the website or the library catalog. But for most users, what’s the difference between the library website & library catalog? We know they’re two different things (unfortunately *sigh*), but they don’t.

]]> By: joshua m. neff http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/comment-page-1/#comment-25626 joshua m. neff Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:37:00 +0000 http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/06/10/labels-consistency-and-context/#comment-25626 Here in Johnson County, we've been thinking about this a lot, too, and we're doing loads of testing with staff and patrons to make sure we're using terms people understand well. For example, our website's search box currently lets you search the website or the library catalog. But for most users, what's the difference between the library website & library catalog? We know they're two different things (unfortunately *sigh*), but they don't. Here in Johnson County, we’ve been thinking about this a lot, too, and we’re doing loads of testing with staff and patrons to make sure we’re using terms people understand well. For example, our website’s search box currently lets you search the website or the library catalog. But for most users, what’s the difference between the library website & library catalog? We know they’re two different things (unfortunately *sigh*), but they don’t.

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