Best Practices

Websites that use responsive design translate more easily from computer to tablet to mobile. LibGuides software does use responsive design, so your boxes will move!

Image by Diego Velázquez from Pixabay

Your Libguide will shift in a predictable pattern when viewed on a tablet or smartphone. The title banner will stay at the top, followed by all items in the first column and then all items in the second column. That can lead to a lot of scrolling for the user, which can be frustrating!

Why do you need to take responsive design into account? More and more people are viewing our research guides on devices other than a desktop. In the year between September 2018 and September 2019, 28.57% Lamar Soutter LibGuide visits were made via a mobile phone.

• Use side navigation with box-level navigation (such as used in this guide). This allows users to jump to the topic they're interested in.
• Place the most important content in the top box.
• Place the remaining content in order of importance.
• Group similar content close within a column so that it does not get separated when columns are rearranged.
• Check your pages on multiple device types before publishing.