Skip to Main Content

LibGuides Standards and Best Practices

Overview

Note that LibGuides subjects should only be created for Furman academic programs. LibGuides subjects are maintained by Instruction and Research Services.

Tasks related to managing subjects and liaisons in LibGuides:

  • Create subjects
  • Assign subjects to guides
  • Assign experts to subjects
  • Assign database Best Bets to subjects (Resource Management team)
  • Note: table listing liaisons and custom dropdown widgets are now auto-updating, based upon subjects and experts assignments

Managing subjects and liaisons in LibGuides facilitates automating the content and functionality of the following:

  • Table listing liaisons by subject
  • Find your Librarian by Name widget
  • Find your Librarian by Subject widget

When you Create a Subject

Creating a Subject under the Admin > Metadata & URLs > Subjects tab does the following:

  • Creates a system-generated accordion on the Research by Subjects page (only if that subject has at least one Published or Private guide)
  • Adds the subject to the Subjects filter dropdown on the A-Z list (only if that subject has at least one database assigned to it)
  • Creates a system-generated subject page

When you Assign a Subject to a Guide

Assigning a subject to a guide does the following:

screenshot of LibGuides staff menu showing a red arrow pointing at the Select Subjects icon link
To assign a subject to a guide, click the "Select Subjects" icon link below the guide title in the orange LibGuides staff menu.

When you Assign an Expert to a Subject

Assigning an expert to a subject does the following:

screenshot of LibGuides staff mode showing the Add/Edit Subject dialog box with Paige's account displayed. A red arrow points at the Add/Edit Subject link icon corresponding to the subject biology
To assign an expert to a subject, click the "Add/Edit Subject" link icon corresponding to the subject.

View larger version of this image Opens in new window.

When you Assign a Database to a Subject

Assigning a Database to a Subject does the following:

  • Adds that Subject to the Subjects dropdown filter in the A-Z list

Note: Subject are assigned to Databases in LibGuides by the Resource Management team (according to recommendations made by Instruction and Research Services Librarians).

Assigning a Database Best Bet to a Subject does the following:

Note: Best Bets are assigned in LibGuides by the Resource Management team (according to recommendations made by Instruction and Research Services Librarians).

How to Update Liaisons in LibGuides

To update a liaison assignment in LibGuides: