The Comparative Guide to WordPress in Libraries

Goodman, Amanda L. The Comparative Guide to WordPress in Libraries: A LITA Guide. Chicago: American Library Association, 2014.ISBN: 978-1-55570-968-6

From the publisher:

More than just an easy-to-use blogging platform, WordPress is in fact a flexible, open source content management system. Without spending a dime or writing a line of code, it’s possible to build the library website of your dreams. But it’s important to understand the basic principles of WordPress so you can plan wisely. In this LITA guide, User Experience (UX) librarian and seasoned WordPress instructor Goodman leads you step-by-step through the basic planning process for a library website that meets your users’ needs and fits your available resources for maintaining it. Written with the questions of library administrators and technology staff in mind, this guide shows you

• How to make an informed decision about whether WordPress is the right platform for your library
• Options for hosted and self-hosted platforms
• Nearly two dozen WordPress sites, drawn from a wide range of different libraries and organizations
• How to choose the right theme for your library's content
• Succinct explanations of every element in the Administrative Dashboard with advice on library applications
• Quick tips on user experience, information architecture, and analytics
• Effective ways to use images, audio, and video

Offering a solid foundation in WordPress, this guide will help you design and launch a library website that effectively serves your library’s users.

Table of Contents:

Preface 

Acknowledgments 

Part 1: Understanding WordPress

1 An Introduction to WordPress 

2 Flavors of WordPress 

3 The Competition 

Part 2: The Basics of Developing a WordPress Website

4 Website Planning 

5 Using WordPress 

6 Themes 

7 An Introduction to Plugins and Media 

8 Administrative Tools 

Part 3: Library Implementations of WordPress

9 Academic Libraries 

10 Library Associations 

11 Digital Libraries /Archives 

12 Government and Law 

13 Public Libraries 

14 School Library Media Centers 

15 Special Libraries and Allies 

Appendixes

A The Survey
B Resources for WordPress
C Plugins  

Index

Read a sample of the book now!