Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations for Web Site Design in Religious and Theological Academic Libraries

Abstract

This article develops a theoretical and conceptual basis for Web site design in academic theological libraries. The article discusses the locus of librarians in the organization of information, the mission of higher education and of the academic library, the purpose of the theological library, the changing role of libraries, the function of libraries as represented on the Web, the nature of hypermedia documents, and criteria for the design and content of Web pages.

Academic library website functions in the context of users’ information needs

“…The next important library website function indicated in the students’ answers is the promotion of culture: respondents expressed interest in being informed about cultural events organized or promoted by the library. It is an observation of significance, as this kind of library activity is not obviously connected with the academic library’s basic tasks related mainly to supporting teaching, learning and research activities (Long and Schonfeld, 2010; Stover, 2001).…”

“…This can be related to the hope expressed in the literature from the time of the Internet’s early development – that librarians with experience in knowledge organization could be useful in the Web design process (Davidson and Rusk, 1996). Stover (2001: 163) stated: ‘With the explosive growth in the production of knowledge, society requires credible gatekeepers of information, and has entrusted some of that function to universities and its resident experts, not to information networks’ The survey by Ithaka S&R also indicated such a function, although ranked as the last among all library functions (Long and Schonfeld, 2010). Our research proves that the librarians may be seen by students as ‘gatekeepers of information’ and, thus, the authorization of the other web sources (an indication of the most valuable) could be seen as an important function.…”

“…However, in the early stages of the Internet’s popularity, the view of the issue was slightly different. Stover (2001: 163) wrote:Along with their perceived expertise in organizing knowledge, librarians (especially academic librarians) are also viewed by some as potential authenticators of the authority of information on the Web. (…)While the role of librarians in the authentication of information may be a debatable topic, its very acknowledgment is relevant given the many concerns voiced today about the difficulty of locating authoritative information on the Web.…”

“…Considering the wealth of the digital collections and the previously mentioned high levels of Internet use by academics and the students, the answer seems to be: no, those are not enough. Stover, who devotes a lot of attention to the topic of academic libraries mission, notes that the purpose and goal of the library website should be based on the mission of the library (Stover, 2001: 166) and proposes to interpret the library mission as follows: ‘The mission of the academic library is to support research, teaching, and service within the parameters of its parent institution’ (Stover, 2001: 169). Still, this does not give a precise indication as to what information and services exactly should dominate the library website content.…”

What is a Library Website, Anyway? Reconsidering Dominant Conceptual Models

“…The idea of Website as Communications Vehicle is perhaps the most contentious. While many usability researchers agree that the overall mission of the library dictates that of the website (Stover, 2001) and that the website can be a valuable tool for communicating that mission (Kuchi, 2006), Mierzecka and Suminas (2018) noted that basing the website mission on that of the library did not "give a precise indication as to what information and services exactly should dominate the library website content" (p. 159). In their testing, they found that students were completely uninterested in the library's online image.…”