Research Guides Standards and Best Practices

Making Maintenance Easier

Reusable content and assets make updating your guides faster and simpler. When you update a reusable box/asset, the update is reflected in all instances, so you don't have to update each guide individually.

• Create a "Reusable Boxes" guide of things you commonly share (resources, search box, lists, tips, etc.)
• Create and re-use assets for links, databases, items in the catalog, etc., instead of linking to them in rich text.
• If there are multiple versions of an asset, link to the one that is the closest to the source (original version) or most used (most mappings)
• Remember to make updates to the original version of the reusable content or asset so that the changes will be reflected in all use instances

Staying current on LibGuides features and practices is also important, so that your guides continue to be accessible, current, and engaging.

Semi-annual Maintenance

• Check for and repair broken links
• Unpublish (or make Private) guides for courses that are not being offered in the current or upcoming semester
• Delete guides for courses that are not expected to be offered in the foreseeable future
• Check guides and reusable boxes for accuracy and currency (screenshots, technology instructions, course info, contact info, etc.)

Annual Maintenance

• Revisit the LibGuides Standards & Best Practices guide
• Review the subject and type categories for your guides to make sure they still fit
• Delete any of your assets that do not map to any guides
• Consider if any of your guide content would be appropriate for main library website content instead (based on guidelines)

• Check your guides on multiple devices with different screen sizes to ensure that your guide functions well and important content is still on top.
• Shrinking and expanding your browser window can show a similar effect of how your guide will appear on a mobile device.

If a guide is no longer relevant or was created for a class that is no longer taught, consider changing its status it to private. 

A private guide is preferable to an unpublished guide because anyone with the guide URL will still have access to it. Unpublished guides are hidden from all users.