Websites
Hyde Park Middle School Library
When I first reviewed this site, it seemed like information overload. “Accessibility is the extent to which an information resource is retrievable and understandable by all users, especially those with special needs and disabilities” (American Library Association, para. 1). I do have to say that the information is mostly accessible to all viewers on this website. For example, if a user has impaired vision, they should be able to use a screen reader to access most of the information on this site. However, accessing the images may pose a problem because they do not appear to have alternative text, so a screen reader would simply read the nonsense text attached to the image making it confusing for the vision impaired user. Almost every page on this website has an image with the middle school’s mascot, a panther. These images help to unify the pages.
With the navigation buttons on the top of each page, navigating the website was easy. A viewer could always get back to the homepage just by pushing the ‘Home’ button. The links were all in working condition, minus the ones where you need to be logged in as a student.
The content on this website had to do with library procedures, helpful tips on becoming a better reader and writer, and various online tools and databases. Students would be able to easily understand the content and where they should click to find specific content.
Garr Reynolds would approve of the typefaces that are used on this website. The typeface looks similar to Reynolds’ reliable typefaces, which makes the content easy to read (2014). I did not care for the extremely dark background of this website, but the author did adhere to Reynolds’ advice about “maintaining a clear contrast between the background and the foreground elements,” by leaving the foreground white (2014, p.82). The author of this website mostly used black and burgundy for their words. However, I feel the website would be more harmonious if the author used the black and burgundy in a consistent way throughout the website, like all of the headings could be burgundy and the information under each heading could be black.
Overall, this website is accessible for most people, but not for all; it could be challenging for viewers with a vision impairment who need to use a screen reader. There are some images on the homepage that do not show up, leaving the viewer to wonder about them. At first glance, this website feels inviting, until you click on the video and see that it does not exist, which is a shame since the video is the first piece the viewer experiences. The nonexistent video clip along with the inaccessible images on the homepage leave the viewer a little disappointed.
The navigation of this website is easy and the homepage is always accessible by clicking on the ‘Home’ button at the top. The links seemed to work when clicked. However, some pages were incomplete, like the ‘Clubs’ page, which was almost completely blank.
The content of this website has a clear instructional focus—all about the Egly library and what it has to offer. Students can find library lessons, e-books, technology assistance, Destiny (to look up books), and much more.
Garr Reynolds would appreciate the clear contrast between the light pink background and the black typeface in the foreground (2014). The color scheme was consistent throughout most of the website bringing unity to the pages.
Classroom Response Tools
I explored Google Forms and found it to be very useful. Users can change the background color, along with the text style to customize the form. Google Forms offers a variety of templates for users, including a Quiz, Exit Ticket, Assessment, Worksheet, or a Course Evaluation. The templates give users ideas for how to use Google Forms. A school librarian could use Google Forms to gauge student understanding after a lesson; a quiz on a particular book; reading interest surveys; feedback about library services or book fair; or even as a ‘get to know you’ questionnaire.
I explored Padlet as my second classroom response tool. Users can have a lot of fun picking a background from loads of choices. Users could even customize their background with their own photo. There are many options to choose from when creating a Padlet. A user can decide which order posts appear on the Padlet, whether or not the author’s name and timestamp appear, whether or not to allow comments or reactions, and even if posts need approval based on the content. Padlet allows the creator to add sections, which can be useful if a school librarian wants to use the same Padlet for all classes within a grade level or even for all grade levels. A librarian could use Padlet as an exit ticket, for example students would have to answer a question about the lesson or book before leaving the library class. Librarians could also use Padlet to track ideas or suggestions on library services or which books to purchase. Padlet could also be used for interactive storytelling, where the librarian and the class create a story together and students can add their ideas to Padlet for where the story should go next. Padlet will save the ideas for future library classes, so they can pick up the story where they left off on their next library visit.
References
American Library Association. (2023). ALA support: Accessibility. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/support/style/accessibility
Reynolds, G. (2014). Presentationzen design (2nd ed.). New Riders.
I really enjoyed reading your excerpt on padlet. I also researched this tool for my project. I did not think of adapting the resource into an exit ticket. I spoke on the presentation, organization, and discussion opportunities. Your ideas are inspiring and well thought out.