PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE
Web Publishing Guidelines
The Publications Committee adopted the following Web publishing guidelines to ensure that professional-quality webpages are produced for official business of the Texas Library Association.
Page Design • Content • Graphics • Revision • Formats
The TLA staff makes available for Web designers:
- Style
sheets and HTML templates.
- Assistance
with modifying files to conform to current stylistic guidelines, if needed.
- Consultation
at the beginning of a project.
Special projects (e.g., online publications) do not need to conform to the TLA Web design template, but must conform to certain design parameters. Units wishing to create a new online publication or special project should consult with TLA staff at the outset of their project.
All new designs for unit pages should be tested for accessibility, download time, and client browser compatibility.
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Pages on the TLA website should use the TLA standard template as created by TLA staff. Some documents, such as newsletters or other online publications that may require their own identity, may be exempt from using the template. Decisions on which pages will be exempt from the standard template may be based on the list of external and internal documents provided by the Publications Committee.
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Design and coding should follow standards for Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) format at all times, and ensure that the site/pages are available to readers who don't have fast Internet connections, the latest browsers, or large-screen monitors. Websites/pages should not be designed for a specific feature of a Web browser or a browser's latest version. All pages should be backward compliant with older browsers. All pages should be accessible through several browsers, for example, Netscape, Internet Explorer, or Opera.
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Do not use frames.
- Tagging should be browser-neutral and allow for text-only or high-speed download whenever possible.
- Use basic standards for HTML tagging and elements.
1. Pages may use only TLA and TLA unit logos. On each unit homepage include the unit logo (if such exists) and/or the TLA logo. Provide an alternate tag for each logo. TLA graphics are in a folder (gifs) on the first level of the TLA website. To add the TLA logo to your homepage, use relative links. A unit homepage (usually named index.html) would use this address for the TLA logo: ../../gifs/txla.gif or ../../gifs/smtxla.gif for a smaller version.
2.
The TLA Web master will add the TLA footer
to each unit homepage. All other unit pages should have links that take the user
back to the unit homepage.
3.
Create HTML Meta tags for each page. The meta tags
must include a) Title - page title; b) Description - brief description of the
subjects covered; c) Keywords - specific to the page subject, and should not
exceed 25 words; d) Author - Texas Library Association and unit.
An example of the meta tag coding on a page is:
<head>
<meta name="author" content="Texas
Library Association, Publications Committee">
<meta name="description" content="Policy
and guidelines for creating Web pages for the TLA Web site.">
<meta name="keyword" content="Texas
Library Association Web publishing guidelines policy">
<title>Texas Library Association Web Publishing
Policy and Guidelines</title>
</head>
4.
On each page identify the person responsible for
the content. If there are print and electronic versions of a document, identify
the person responsible for content of each format.
5.
On each page provide the date the page was created,
modified, or last updated. Spell out the name of the month in which it was last
updated. (e.g., Last updated on December 5, 2001).
6.
On each page provide the page's URL and feedback
links, for example, e-mail links to the unit chair and unit Web administrator.
7.
Check the spelling and grammar on all material
before you post to the Web. Remember
that new Web pages must be sent to the Publications Committee for review before
posting to the Web.
8.
Wherever possible, refer readers to original copies of documents; in
other words, link to TLA documents (including graphics files) rather than provide a duplicate copy of the
information.
9. Use relative addressing (../../conference/conf.html) whenever possible rather than hard coding (http://www.txla.org/conference/conf.html) links to pages and images within the TLA site. Pages within a common folder should be linked by using only the filename.
10.
If documents are in an alternative format that requires a readily
accessible viewer or reader such as Adobe Acrobat's Reader, provide a link to
the appropriate Web site for information about the free reader. An existing TLA
page contains Acrobat Reader information. From inside a unit folder, the address
would be: “../../html/pdfpage.html”. Add “../” for each subfolder level
within your unit folder.
1.
Remember that "found" graphics or outside
information must not be used without proper permission.
When permission is given, be certain to include any copyright information
relevant to page content, including clip art and graphics. Give proper credit to
artwork by showing the owner's name.
2.
Keep graphics small in both size and number. Page and graphics should NOT
exceed 80K. Graphics should NOT exceed 40K.
3.
Use an alternate (alt) tag for every image. Provide
information describing the image, or a null for simple images (e.g., a dot or
bullet), so that a person unable to see the image can understand the content and
meaning for its use.
4.
Use alternative text for images that do not comply
with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines for persons with visual
impairments: http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10/.
5.
Show restraint in the use of moving and / or
flashing elements or graphics.
Unit
Site Maintenance and Revision
1.
Review the links on each of your pages at least
every month and update links and contents as needed.
2.
When changes to existing files are required,
provide TLA staff with complete files for posting to the TLA site. TLA staff
will not edit file contents and will do only superficial troubleshooting.
3.
Download the files to be revised directly from the
Web (save as source or html) to maintain the relative links and to insure you
are working from the most current version.
4.
Send files to the TLA Web administrator as email
attachments. In the email message, list the filenames and indicate the
subfolders involved (if applicable). When a major site revision is involved, you
may deliver your pages on a storage disk.
Materials in a variety of formats may be posted to the TLA Web Site. Examples of acceptable file formats are HTML, SGML, PDF, DOC, WPD, PPT, etc.. (See item 10 under the Page Content section of this document.)