Maryland State Library Website

The Maryland State Library is an independent agency within the state of Maryland’s government that provides leadership, research, and support for the libraries throughout the state. The Library was our client for a course in information architecture, so the brief was to provide strategic recommendations for how to improve the organizational structure and search engine optimization of the site to make the site more effective for the Library’s constituents and more competitive.

We began the project with a full content inventory, then researched other states’ library agencies, created detailed user personas, tested alternate site structures using online card sorts and tree tests, developed new wireframes, and ultimately presented our recommendations to the client.

In the images shown here, I was responsible for the layout of the presentation using a theme from Slidesgo, I created the layout for the persona and user journey slides, and I drafted the wireframes initially by hand and then using invision. Another group member, Banke Adeniji, finalized the wireframes in invision for the presentation.

Client: Maryland State Library
Group Members: Meghan Lamb, Banke Adeniji, Nurdan Durdag Ayres
Professor Kathryn Summers
IDIA 630: Information Architecture, The University of Baltimore

Scene of a table in front of a brick wall with a large screen tv and plant on the table. The screen shows the presentation slide describing a user persona.
A slide from the final presentation to our client, Maryland State Library, including a SWOT analysis of their site
A slide from the final presentation shown in context on iMac computer screen on top of a table with three vases in front of a white brick wall
A slide from the final presentation to our client, Maryland State Library, evaluating the user experience of their current site
User persona card from client presentation shown in context on TV screen
A slide from the final presentation to our client, Maryland State Library, explaining the results of user testing
Slide from final client presentation showing recommended wireframe with call-out notes to client
A slide from the final presentation to our client, Maryland State Library, showing a recommended improvement to their current site based on a user journey map
Sketch of mobile-first design for MSL LibGuide reference page
Wireframe sketch of updated home page for Maryland State Library
© Jen Kristen Taylor // March 2022