LibGuides Training: Creation Process

Don't duplicate work. Think about what the guide you have in mind will do that existing guides don't or can't. Ask yourself

• Has one of my Morris Library colleagues already created a guide that addresses this topic?
• Check the full list of LibGuides, including the "Unpublished" ones.
• Has a librarian at another institution already created a guide that addresses this topic?
• Search the LibGuides Community site to find guides created by other LibGuides users.
• Link directly to the appropriate guide you find or ask its creator for permission to copy and customize their guide on our system.

If the answer to those questions is "no", it's time to start building your new guide.

Each new subject, topic, or customized course guide should be created as a separate guide.

• Do not create create course guides, special topic guides, or event guides as pages within a major subject guide.

Get down to work.

• Login to LibGuides.
• From your "Dashboard" click "Create New Guide". You are immediately faced with a choice:
• Choose to "Start fresh (no template)" 
• You're going to build this guide starting with a blank slate.
• You can resuse boxes and will reuse links from other guides.
• Choose to "Use an existing guide as a template"
• You're going to start using the layout, boxes, and links another person has developed.
• Search for the guide you want to start with or enter its URL.
• Most main subject guides start using Morris Library's "Basic Research Guide" as a template.

Time for the next step!

Give your LibGuide a short, descriptive name under "Guide Settings".

• Put the most important words first.
• For example, "Biology Research Guide" rather than "Guide to Researching Biology".
• Use title case.
• For guides for specific courses follow the naming convention: *subject abbreviation* *course number*: *course title* .
• For example, EPSY 420: Relaxation and the Working Librarian.
• Course abbreviations can be found in the PDF document to the right.

Save your work by clicking "Create New Guide".

Open the "Guide Settings" menu at the top of the screen and select "Change Guide Information".

• Under "Basic Settings"
• Add a short description that briefly explains what the guide is and what it will help your viewers do. Limit it to a sentence or two.
• Add a "Friendly URL". The URL should be obviously related to the title of the guide. Set a URL for a guide about World War I to something like "wwI", not "trenchwarfaresucks".
• Skip "Advanced Settings".
• Under "Subject Associations"
• Select the main subject area(s) to which your guide relates.
• Some guides relate to more than one subject.
• Some relate to none of the main subjects.
• If your guide should be associated with a subject not in the list, consult the LibGuides administrator to have the subject added.
• For specific course guides, select the subject "Courses" in addition to the subject area.
• For guides dedicated to a topic not directly addressing a major subject or a specific course, select the subject "Special Topics" in addition to the general subject area.
• For example, guides about citation styles, regional history, current events, library policies, and featured resources should be associated with "Special Topics".
• Under "Assigned Tags"
• Add tags for the main subject area and related topics.
• Tags differ from subjects in that they are generally natural language words and phrases that users may search for that may not appear elsewhere in the guide.
• Add the tag for the course abbreviation code.
• Skip "Metadata".

Save your work.

Ask yourself if you can collaborate with someone at Morris Library, the SIU campus, or another institution to create a LibGuide on this topic?

• Leverage the expertise of others and spread the work. It'll save you time and make the guide better.

Having found your partner in crime, open the "Guide Settings" menu and click "Co-Owners, Editors & Collaborators".

• Select his or her name from the pulldown menu associated with the proper level of access.
• If he or she doesn't have an account, contact the LibGuides administrator to have an account created.
• Click "Add" and close the window.

You now have help maintaining your guide.

You are faced with a blank slate.

• Add the pages / tabs you need to cover your topic properly.
• Click "ADD / EDIT PAGES" at the top of the screen.
• Choose to "Create New Page"
• Give the page a short, descriptive name using title case.
• Choose to "Reuse Existing Page"
• If a page on another guide appropriate covers the information you want to include, reuse it.
• When the original page is updated, the reused page will automatically update. This saves work.
• Select the guide that includes the page you want to reuse from the pulldown menu.
• Select the page you want to reuse.
• Save your work.
• Add the boxes you need to cover your topic properly.
• Click "Add New Box" in the column in which you want your box to appear.
• Choose "Create New Box"
• Give the box a short, descriptive name using title case.
• Select the type of box you need from the "Select the Content Box Type" pulldown menu.
• "Rich Text / Dynamic Format / Scripts"
• For formatted text.
• Inline (included in a sentence) links only.
• Copy and paste from .txt or .rtf documents only (Notepad or Wordpad).
• Do not, under any circumstances, copy and paste from Microsoft Word. You may save Word documents in .txt or .rtf format and then copy from them.
• If you insist on copying and pasting from Word, the LibGuides administrator will make you reformat the improperly created text or the box will be hidden from view.
• Keep use of these to a minimum.
• "Links Boxes" > "Links and Lists"
• Sets of links to subscription resources, free resources, LibGuides, or other websites.
• "Multimedia Boxes"
• The subtype indicates the type of content appropriate for each selection.
• Use "Books from the Catalog"for lists of print resources.
• "User Input Boxes"
• The subtype indicates the type of content appropriate for each selection.
• "Miscellaneous Boxes" > "Dates and Events"
• For "Special Topics" or "Courses" pages that require lists of related times, dates, and places.
• "Google Boxes"
• Insert searches of various Google services.
• "System Content Boxes"
• "Links to Guides"
• Pulls together a list of LibGuides based on parameters you set.
• "User Profile"
• Insert the profile box of another LibGuides user
• Insert the general Ask a Librarian contact box (under "Librarian, Ask A")
• "Credo Reference Search"
• Insert Credo Reference search box
• Choose to "Reuse Existing Box"
• If a box on another guide appropriate covers the information you want to include, reuse it.
• When the original box is updated, the reused box will automatically update. This saves work.
• Select the guide that includes the box you want to reuse from the pulldown menu.
• Select the box you want to reuse.
• Save your work.

Look over the boxes and content included on the template you've chosen.

• Remove pages / tabs that are not appropriate for your guide and/or you don't plan on using.
• Pages are containers for broad categories of information. 
• Used for resources in different formats or for large aspects of the topic.
• Used to list specific course guides related to a main subject
• Click "ADD / EDIT PAGES" at the top of the screen.
• Select "Delete Page" and pick the page you want to remove in the pulldown menu that appears.
• Confirm you want to delete the page.
• Remove boxes that are not appropriate for your guide.
• Boxes are containers for sets of related information.
• They are often used to hold
• Individual search boxes
• Resources sorted by frequency of use
• Related options for searching for information
• Lists of related materials too small to justify a page
• Click "edit" at the top of the box.
• Select "Delete This Box".
• Confirm you want to delete the box.
• Add the pages / tabs you need to cover your topic properly.
• Click "ADD / EDIT PAGES" at the top of the screen.
• Choose to "Create New Page"
• Give the page a short, descriptive name using title case.
• Choose to "Reuse Existing Page"
• If a page on another guide appropriate covers the information you want to include, reuse it.
• When the original page is updated, the reused page will automatically update. This saves work.
• Select the guide that includes the page you want to reuse from the pulldown menu.
• Select the page you want to reuse.
• Save your work.
• Add the boxes you need to cover your topic properly.
• Click "Add New Box" in the column in which you want your box to appear.
• Choose "Create New Box"
• Give the box a short, descriptive name using title case.
• Select the type of box you need from the "Select the Content Box Type" pulldown menu.
• "Rich Text / Dynamic Format / Scripts"
• For formatted text.
• Inline (included in a sentence) links only.
• Copy and paste from .txt or .rtf documents only (Notepad or Wordpad).
• Do not, under any circumstances, copy and paste from Microsoft Word. You may save Word documents in .txt or .rtf format and then copy from them.
• If you insist on copying and pasting from Word, the LibGuides administrator will make you reformat the improperly created text or the box will be hidden from view.
• Keep use of these to a minimum.
• "Links Boxes" > "Links and Lists"
• Sets of links to subscription resources, free resources, LibGuides, or other websites.
• "Multimedia Boxes"
• The subtype indicates the type of content appropriate for each selection.
• Use "Books from the Catalog"for lists of print resources.
• "User Input Boxes"
• The subtype indicates the type of content appropriate for each selection.
• "Miscellaneous Boxes" > "Dates and Events"
• For "Special Topics" or "Courses" pages that require lists of related times, dates, and places.
• "Google Boxes"
• Insert searches of various Google services.
• "System Content Boxes"
• "Links to Guides"
• Pulls together a list of LibGuides based on parameters you set.
• "User Profile"
• Insert the profile box of another LibGuides user
• Insert the general Ask a Librarian contact box (under "Librarian, Ask A")
• "Credo Reference Search"
• Insert Credo Reference search box
• Choose to "Reuse Existing Box"
• If a box on another guide appropriate covers the information you want to include, reuse it.
• When the original box is updated, the reused box will automatically update. This saves work.
• Select the guide that includes the box you want to reuse from the pulldown menu.
• Select the box you want to reuse.
• Save your work.

Reuse boxes whenever possible. This saves work.

• All box types include the option to "Reuse Existing Box".
• Reused boxes are automatically updated when the original box is updated.

When putting content in boxes, reuse existing items whenever possible.

• "Rich Text / Dynamic Format / Scripts"
• Click "edit text" at the bottom left of the box.
• Type your content or copy and paste from .txt or .rtf documents (Notepad or Wordpad) only.
• Do not, under any circumstances, copy and paste from Microsoft Word. You may save Word documents in .txt or .rtf format and then copy from them.
• If you insist on copying and pasting from Word, the LibGuides administrator will make you reformat the improperly created text or the box will be hidden from view.
• Use the standard fonts. Don't use the "Font Family" or "Font Size" pulldown menus.
• If you insist on changing the font family or size, the LibGuides administrator will make you reformat the improperly created text or the box will be hidden from view.
• Use "Subheading" in the "Format" pulldown menu to create headings to break up your text.
  
• If you insist on using the font family or size or bolding to create headings, the LibGuides administrator will make you reformat the improperly created text or the box will be hidden from view.
• Failing to use "Subheading" to create headers is a violation of state law. Not kidding.
  
• Use "Links and Lists" boxes to create lists of links.
  
• If you insist on using a "Rich Text / Dynamic Format / Scripts", the LibGuides administrator will make you reformat the improperly created list or the box will be hidden from view.
• "Links and Lists" boxes
• Click "Add New Link" at the bottom left of the box.
• Use the "Reuse Existing Link" option if at all possible.
  
• Links reused from "Databases by Title" are updated automatically by the Electronic Resources Librarian. No work for you to keep the URLs up-to-date!
• Reused links from other guides are automatically updated when the original link is updated.
• Customize the description that will appear under the link if appropriate.
• To "Create New Link", fill in the fields with the appropriate information.
• Save your work by clicking "Create Link".
• "Books from the Catalog" boxes
• Use the "Reuse Existing Book" if at all possible.
• Reused books from other guides are automatically updated when the original book is updated.
• Customize the description that will appear under the book if appropriate.
• To "Create New Book", fill in the fields with the appropriate information.
• Search for the ISBN using the first field to automatically populate the other fields.
• Choose whether or not to include cover art (if available).
• Save your work by clicking "Create Book".

When you're happy with how your guide looks, it's time to make it available to the world.

• Click "Guide Settings", then "Change Guide Information".
• Near the bottom is the "Guide Publication Status:" field.
• Select "Published".
• Click "Save".

Congratulations! You're done for now.

Guides are only useful if they're up-to-date. Check them over regularly.

• Use the "Dashboard" > "Admin Stuff" > "Link Management" tool to automatically find broken links on your guides.
• Remember, reused links will be automatically corrected / updated when the original instance is fixed.

A few weeks before the start of the semester, the LibGuides administrator will send you a reminder notice to look over your guides and make any necessary updates or changes.

Failure to update or at least check your guides before the start of each semester will result in the LibGuides administrator hiding your guide from the public. And harrassing you mercilessly.

If you want to keep a guide's content but don't want it displayed to the public. Set it as "Unpublished" using the "Guide Settings" > "Change Guide Information" > "Guide Publication Status" menu.

Guides you never plan on using again can be deleted.