March/April 2006
Book Review - Web-based Instruction: A Guide for Libraries
Teressa M. Keenan
Smith, Susan Sharpless. (2006). Web-based Instruction: A Guide for Libraries (2nd ed.), Susan Sharpless Smith. Chicago: American Library Association. 296 p. $52.00 (ISBN 0-8389-0908-6).
Any "book containing a great deal of information about technology and the Internet is guaranteed to need a revision or it will become quickly outdated". (pg. xv) Susan Sharpless Smith, the technology team leader for the Z. Smith Reynolds Library at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, takes this belief to heart by writing a second edition to her earlier book on web-based instruction. (Smith 2001) In expanding and updating her previous work, Smith has once again provided the reader with a fundamental guide for the creation, design, management and assessment of web-based instruction.
Like the previous edition, this new book is not only an excellent resource for the novice, but also provides guidance for more experienced web designers. It is not intended to provide instruction in how to write hypertext markup languages such as HTML and XML nor is it a guide on how to write web programming languages such as Perl, Javascript, etc. Instead, the book is designed to help the reader decide if web-based instruction is right for their institution; and if so, to then lead the reader through the process.
The book is well written and Smith's writing style and chapter structure is easy to read without sacrificing the technical aspects involved in creating interactive web pages. Beginning with a section on how to decide whether implementation of web-based instruction is appropriate for your institution, the book proceeds to lead the reader through the entire process, from design and creation, through implementation, to assessment. The overall layout allows for quick scanning making consultation of a specific section easy for the reader.
Organizational improvements over the previous edition include the use of cited references to replace unnumbered notes at the end of each chapter. The addition of a glossary to the second edition combined with a list of acronyms assist the reader in following the technical, library and educational jargon involved in web-based instruction. While having page numbers listed in the acronym list and glossary might be useful to the reader, most are included in the index and thus remain accessible to readers. The list of figures, including items such as "resources for school librarians" (pg. vii), is organized by chapter and figure number. This list also includes page numbers for easy referral. The screen prints, reproduced in black and white, make those with small print a little difficult to read. Having some of the screen prints in color (particularly ones like figure 5.18, the color wheel and color schemes, on page 115) would provide more effective illustrations of proper web design. Doing so, however, would undoubtedly increase the cost of the book. To compensate for this problem, the author provides URL addresses for each figure so the reader can view the original screens in full size and color. A "resources" section, organized under topic headings such as content management systems, development hardware and wikis, provides the reader with further information and options for instruction in the more technical matters not covered by the author.
The second edition, like the previous one, has excellent content; it is full of diagrams and screen shots making it easy for the reader to see web-based instruction in action. Smith begins with a discussion of the pros and cons of web-based instruction and suggests that the reader consider how such instruction can help the librarian provide consistent instruction available to their users 24 hours a day 7 days a week. This access however, may be at the risk of loosing that personal touch of face-to-face interaction. Smith also warns the reader that they must make sure their organization has an adequate infrastructure with required hardware and software etc. to make web-based instruction work effectively.
According to the author web-based instruction can be an excellent tool for helping "users gain the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze and use information". (pg.1) Smith's screen shots provide the reader with real life examples of how other libraries are using web-based instruction to teach their users effective use of the library and its resources. Examples span the gamut of instruction:
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a general library orientation multimedia tour
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use of the library catalog
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library research skills incorporated with classroom assignments
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instruction on Internet safety
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Web quests designed for middle school students to teach the importance of web site evaluation.
While the majority of these web-based instructional uses reflect an academic environment, the principles demonstrated may be applied to public, school or special libraries; what readers of Smith’s book can do with web-based instruction is limited only by their own imagination.
Figure 2.14 General Library Orientation (pg.34)
Figure 2.10 What's it worth? A WebQuest about website evaluation. (pg. 29)
Smith follows her section on how web-based instruction might be used with a section on the process required to implement web-based instruction. She describes the project of creating an instructional web page as a cycle which incorporates planning, development, production and evaluation from start to finish. She suggests that the process is circular rather than linear since by the time the first version of the web-based instruction is released, the next one is already being worked on (pg. 39). Like any new fun and interesting project it is easy to get carried away, jump right into the thick of things, and start creating web pages. Smith warns against this, suggesting that such a strategy will cause frustration and delays in the long run. She stresses the importance of taking time, at the beginning, to carefully plan the entire project. Calling this the "preproduction phase" (pg. 39), she emphasizes the importance of careful planning by suggesting that three-quarters of project time be allotted to this particular phase. She then goes on to describe in more detail all the different aspects that need to be addressed during this phase.
When designing web pages, it is also easy to get caught up in the excitement of new technology with its fancy bells and whistles. In chapter 5, Smith stresses the importance of considering the desires and concerns of the end user throughout the entire development of the project. She examines the important usability factors that should be incorporated into the computer interface, suggesting that from the very beginning of the design process the development team should focus on the end user. In addition members of the expected audience should be involved in the design and testing whenever possible. She goes into detail about factors such as ease of navigation, screen layout, consideration of multinational design, user accessibility, and more.
In her description of the design and development cycle Smith identifies evaluation as being a critical component of the process. Unfortunately this part often falls by the wayside because of time or financial constraints or may be forgotten. In chapter 8, Smith introduces the reader to an overview of evaluation and testing methods that can be used to measure the effectiveness of the completed project. In addition to design problems in the web interface itself it is important to evaluate the impact of the project as well. Does the page work? Did the audience learn something from it? How might the overall design and user outcome be improved in revisions? She goes into some detail on various methods to assess audience learning from the interface; however, research methodology and analysis is beyond the scope of this book. Instead Smith suggests sources for more information in the resources section at the back of the book.
Web-based Instruction: A Guide for Libraries is just that… a guidebook which addresses the key issues for developing web-based instruction. It includes administrative components such as staffing requirements, financial commitments, hardware and software needs, as well as design components – color, navigation, use of multimedia, and interactivity for the intended audience. While the majority of the examples provided represent academic institutions whose program emphases may be different and whose students will be working at different levels, school librarians will find their instructional challenges are similar and as such will find this book useful in meeting their information literacy needs. The book is full of tips and tidbits of useful information that is appropriate for the beginner as well as the more techno savvy web designers and would be a beneficial addition to any library’s collection.
References
Smith, Susan Sharpless. (2001). Web-Based Instruction: A Guide For Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association. (ISBN 0-8389-0805-5)
Smith, Susan Sharpless. (2006). Web-based Instruction: A Guide for Libraries (2nd ed.), Susan Sharpless Smith. Chicago: American Library Association. 296 p. $52.00 (ISBN 0-8389-0908-6).
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Teressa M. Keenan is a first year graduate student in the distance (dMLIS) Master of Library and Information Science program at the Information School at the University of Washington. She also works full time as a copy cataloger in the Bibliographic Management Services department at the Mike and Maureen Mansfield Library and the University of Montana.
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