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Brooklyn College Library & Academic IT | Library Guides | Creating Accessible OER | OER Guide for Faculty

OER and Publishing Platforms: LibGuides

Discussion of the features offered by various web platforms useful for Open Educational Resources (OERs) and other types of publishing.

Links / Resources

LibGuides Intro (copied from homepage)

This platform, developed by Springshare, is geared toward very simple publishing and integration with librarian needs and library resources.

Ideal Use: Sites that make heavy use of Brooklyn College Library resources or accessible online archives, with little need for a more modern and customizable visual design.

Pros:

  • Admin editor offers a "what you see is what you get" interface, making it easy to lay out text and materials without a tech or coding background.
  • Library resources can be searched and ingested automatically by ID numbers.
  • Options to copy and build off of other LibGuides.
  • Simple incorporation of media like video embeds, password-protected documents, and slideshows.
  • Quick switching back-and-forth between different layouts to test possibilities.

Cons: 

  • Design options are limited by the box-oriented "building blocks" of each site.
  • Tough to incorporate blog or chronological elements, "posts" not a foundational element.
  • Can be difficult to navigate settings and more advanced customizations.
  • Very cumbersome image uploader/manager.
  • More limitations in mobile design than more modern platforms.

Examples / Screenshots

front end libguides shot

Public-Facing Homepage

Here's an example of what a LibGuides homepage looks to the public, with its standard header, tabbed navigation and content boxes layout.

libguides backend screenshot

Back-End Content Panel

Here's what how the homepage in the prior image is managed/edited in the LibGuides back-end editor, in which you click on different boxes and content areas arranged as they are on the public side in order to make changes.

libguides editing panel

Editing Box

Clicking on a box's content brings up a standard text editor. There are many different types of content that can also be used in a box as well, like embedded media and library resources.

libguides box drag drop shot

Drag-and-Drop Box Management

Moving content boxes around with drag-and-drop is easy within the LibGuides settings.

libguides image panel

Image Management

Adding images to LibGuides unfortunately involves multiple steps within a separate image manager for each image, with no options for bulk upload. This requires some getting used to -- adding other types of content can be much more straightforward.