[cid:image003.png@01D47753.F1B41990]The new MeL not only contains new eResources but also looks very different: that was our goal! In this week's MeL Minute we address state-of-the-art web design and how we modernized MeL.org's look and functionality on October 1. MeL hired a new firm for this design: Gravity Works in Lansing's Old Town. They built a website that works on all different types of devices and layouts: a mobile phone in portrait mode, a full-size laptop with a touchscreen interface, a standard desktop computer, or even a Windows user who has snapped the browser to half of their screen. This gives us a large range of width and height considerations, so there is no true "above the fold" anymore. The goal in most web designs is to make sure that each section of the page directs the user toward a specific item or set of related items. We also use negative space, or "white space" to help differentiate these sections. This leads to a natural flow where each section is clearly differentiated but also does increase the total length of the page. If our goal were to reduce scrolling, though, we'd end up with a very cluttered, tight website where users would actually have more trouble identifying the item they need. Without the photography, it'd also be difficult to tell the story or get the message across, as graphics aren't as genuine (nor accessible). Take a look at Apple's iPhone page<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fiphone%2F&data=02%7C01%7CNorrisS2%40michigan.gov%7Cff90cb3bccb84bd28bd008d644c51091%7Cd5fb7087377742ad966a892ef47225d1%7C0%7C0%7C636772010508963507&sdata=8hecFw%2BWSV%2FlFZLaHRptLkCIACon2I7UD8HXKeNvdaY%3D&reserved=0>, for example. Lots of scrolling and large, authentic imagery (not graphics). The Metropolitan Museum of Art<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metmuseum.org%2F&data=02%7C01%7CNorrisS2%40michigan.gov%7Cff90cb3bccb84bd28bd008d644c51091%7Cd5fb7087377742ad966a892ef47225d1%7C0%7C0%7C636772010508973516&sdata=6GbKfAeRsZUhS%2FtPkwarqbHJiuUxRJr52isacevE77M%3D&reserved=0> is another good example: it doesn't scroll a lot on desktop, but on mobile, it's quite long. Even MSU's new website<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmsu.edu%2F&data=02%7C01%7CNorrisS2%40michigan.gov%7Cff90cb3bccb84bd28bd008d644c51091%7Cd5fb7087377742ad966a892ef47225d1%7C0%7C0%7C636772010508973516&sdata=H%2BfUrM0kx2N00rQC1w%2FHDIC2y%2BAxrBXKKcc2%2FeL3HRk%3D&reserved=0> has much more scrolling than its previous iteration. Here's a good article about using graphics in web design<https://www.washington.edu/accessit/webdesign/student/unit4/module1/Guidelines_for_web_graphics.htm>, and here's another about the continual scroll debate<https://www.tone.co.uk/official-website-users-scroll-fold/>. We've also added a Contact Us form to the site that garnered hundreds of responses from the public as well as library and school staff in the site's first five weeks: and we've answered every one of those queries. MeL team members at the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) and the Library of Michigan are more accessible to you than ever. MeL is fresh, contemporary, and we're glad to say that we're keeping up with modern standards of functionality, user expectation, and design. Brought to you by Kelly Staudinger of Gravity Works Design and Sonya Schryer Norris of the MeL Team. Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First. Want more information on MeL? Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org<http://mel.org/>, or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery<https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MILOM/subscriber/new>. We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks. MeL databases are available to Michigan residents or via Michigan library or school access only. #IMLSGrant Sonya Schryer Norris Library Consultant Library of Michigan 702 W. Kalamazoo St. Lansing, MI 48909 517-335-1498 MY NUMBER HAS CHANGED TO 517-335-1498 https://michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan http://mel.org<http://mel.org/> http://michlibrary.org<http://michlibrary.org/>
