Serving Online Customers

Abstract

Ch 7 Designing Websites Trust and Flow

He suggests all library websites will ultimately contain the same stuff.

1. tasteful logo graphic

2. assorted photographs

3. box to search the library catalogue

4. contact us

5. hours

6. news and events

7. FAQs

8. My Account

Libraries need to learn about trust from commerce sites. Trust's first cousins are power and authority. Moving to an online world can lower your trust-building attributes. There is always a period of uncertainty where your lack of information makes you dependent on the website as a guide.

Great text about being an early web person.

"I speculate that this, my introduction to the World Wide Web, took place sometime in late 1993 or early 1994... Whatever the exact date, I knew I wanted in on this new thing right away." p. 143

Discusses the idea of using common terminology across library websites (borrowing vs circulation)

'sticky content' chat rooms, games, online forums, news, customer reviews, entertainment, exclusives, discount offers, contests, prizes to keep visitors on the site as long as possible and make them return

You want to encourage flow. To help visitors achieve flow you need 

1. clear progress and goals

2. instantaneous feedback

3. the balance between difficult and ability