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Christopher Center Library Web Content Style Sheet
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Modified from Brian Mathews’ work
(http://theubiquitouslibrarian.typepad.com see 2-1-2011 post)
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Last Updated: 11/1/2011
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It is essential for our website to have a consistent voice and aesthetic. We want library users to find the website inviting, informative, and easy to understand. The following are set standards for how we will present information on each page of the website.
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1. Write to the user: “Enter your password.”
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<ul type="disc">
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- Do not write: “The user will be asked to enter their password.
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- ”
2. Do not use contractions, slang, or symbols.
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- Instead of “You won’t need to enter any additional info,” use “You will not need to enter any additional information.
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- ”
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- Exception: Always use “&” when within a link (ex:
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- Find Books & other Library
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- Materials).
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- Exception: If an official title calls for contractions, slang, or symbols. Example: ¡Informe!
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3. For user-ability and consistency, emphasize a particular word or phrase only by
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bolding the text.
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- Do not underline, italicize, use CAPS, “quotation marks,” or color to emphasize.
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4. Use quotation marks sparingly and never for emphasis. Remember, the punctuation mark goes inside the quote.
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- If your email address is
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- “Newstudent@valpo.edu,” then your Valpo username is “Newstudent.
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- ”
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- The “Request” function allows you to borrow items from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan.
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5. Make sure all parentheses are closed with periods on the outside.
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- (Until you change it, your barcode number is also your password).
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6. When referring to the library, use the singular form and do not capitalize.
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- The library is open every day.
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- Capitalize if you are referring to particular library: The Christopher Center Library is centrally located on campus.
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7. For money, use the following forms.
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- Black and white printouts cost 5 cents each.
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- If you fail to renew promptly, we assume the item is lost and bill you for its replacement value plus a processing fee of $15.
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8. In most cases, spell out single-digit numbers and use numerals for all others.
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- Exception: Use numerals when writing floor locations.
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i. Ex: You may check out books on the 2nd floor.
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- We will give free food to the first 25 students.
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- Exception: When a number begins a sentence, write it in word form.
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9. When referring to a system or database, use the form in which it appears on the system or database name itself.
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- Examples: OneCard system, ValpoNet Identity Manager, Academic Search Premier,
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- ARTstor
10. Avoid run-on sentences and use fragments only when within a bulleted or numbered list (and remember:
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be consistent. If one bullet or number is a full sentence, all others should be the same).
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11. Make sure every page about a feature has a short 1-2 sentence description of the feature you are discussing.
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<ul type="disc">
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- The “Request” function allows you to borrow items from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan.
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12. Graphics should be consistent and appropriate to content.
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13. To write directions follow this model:
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<ul type="disc">
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- 1. Enter your password.
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- 2. Look at the top of the page for….
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| Panel |
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</ul> |
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14. Spell out acronyms when they first appear on
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each page with their acronym in parentheses following. Every time you repeat the phrase on that page, you may refer to it as its acronym.
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- The Center for Research Libraries (CRL) makes available more than four million publications, archives and collections to its member libraries to supplement their own humanities, social science and science holdings… For more information on CRL, go to http://www.crl.edu.
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15. Do not capitalize names of rooms unless it is a formal name.
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- There are several group study rooms on the 4th floor of the library.
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- Reservation requests for the Board of Directors Room may be made through the Union's Meeting Room Reservations: http://www.valpo.edu/union/reservations/index.php.
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16. Write out phone numbers in this model: (219) 464-5500.
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- Make sure to always add the area code! Exception: When there is a list of phone numbers, the area code may be listed once in a prominent place.
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17. Use this format to present times: 8:30 am 8 pm 10 am 10 pm
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- The library is open from 7:30 am to 9 pm.
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18. Never use an apostrophe for
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plurals
- Example: DVDs (NOT DVD’s)
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- The 1950s (not 1950’s)
</li>
| Panel |
|---|
</ul> |
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Use the following forms for these
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commonly used words and phrases:
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chat reference
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check out (“Check out your books at the circulation desk.”)
databases (not electronic indexes, indexes, or any other variation)
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dropdown menu
ebook
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email
email reference
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faculty (use as plural form and only when discussing levels of privileges; use “instructor” for singular references to faculty. Ex: Staff and faculty: Bring your OneCard to the library’s Circulation Desk).
full text (ex: to see full text of this article, …) NOUN
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full-text (ex: The full-text version of this article…) ADJECTIVE
Reserves (Please specify Course Reserves when it is the first mention on a page).
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in process
instructor (preferred to faculty, professor, teacher)
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Internet
library
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library catalog (not Galileo)
Sign in
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Not “sign on.
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” VERB (ex: You will be asked to sign in.)
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Sign-in ADJECTIVE (Your sign-in information is available.)
Sign out (ex: Do not forget to sign out)
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Sign-out (ex: the sign-out instructions are on page 2) ADJECTIVE
off campus (ex: If you are off campus, …)
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off-campus (ex: For off-campus access,…) ADJECTIVE
on order
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OneCard
password (not PIN)
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public computers
proxy server
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shelved in the…/located in the… (not housed in the….)
staff
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university
username
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ValpoScholar
Web
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web site
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Departments/Locations:
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Access Services
Christopher Center Library
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Circulation Desk (1st floor Circulation Desk)
Current Periodicals
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Law Library
Library Instruction Services
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Reference Services
Reference Desk
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Special Collections
Technical Services
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University Archives
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