Maroon Opinions

Fixed-width CSS in Lens

Why is the library's web site using fixed-width columns in its CSS? We need to be able to see the right-hand side, not have to scroll to the right every time we want something. This is a major inconvenience to the majority of uchicago users, since most people are not working on large screens.

The Suggestions Office took this to our colleagues who run the Library's web programs, performing various feats of magic behind the scenes. Alas, their wizardry has limits: fixed-width CSS is a known problem of Lens and unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

Lens is a custom UChicago version of Aquabrowser Library (hence those "Powered by Aquabrowser" labels you occasionally see when surfing around in Lens), a product in use at many other libraries.

While we have some ability to customize Aquabrowser, the fixed-width CSS is embedded too deeply into the product -- changing it has to be done by the Aquabrowser developers.

In the meantime, we found 2 workarounds: (1) increase your screen resolution or (2) use the text-only version (http://lens.lib.uchicago.edu/accessible.ashx) -- this would still require some scrolling but doesn't rely as much on fixed-width CSS.

What did we leave out?

YOUR WEBSITE SHOWING ALL EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCACY GROUP IS GREAT EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.YOU HAVE LEFT OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION OF THEM ALL THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS WHICH IS THE ONLY PRIMARY SOURCE OF ALL UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESEARCH ON EDUCATION.

Happily, the NCES is the first link on our education statistics research guide.

Praise for the new website

I'm fairly certain the library has a new homepage, and I have to say: I like it! As an SSA student, I find it much easier to use. Many thanks to the library staff involved!

We do indeed have a new look, and are glad you enjoy it -- thanks!

Dead Links

http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/law/intl/foreign.html - This page is full of dead links. Many of the countries have no working links.

Thanks for the update - we'll look into this.

Webmail and xMail

Hi,
Can you please add xmail under My Accounts?  Right now the email link only goes to cmail.
Thanks!

We asked those in charge of the website, and they said that both a cMail and xMail link made perfect sense. Look for the change to appear soon.

I Like!

just wanted to say i love your web site

Thanks! We like it too (mostly).

Small Red Type

small red type is almost impossible to read on the internet

I presume you're referring to the dark red (actually maroon) used for our hyperlinks and other text -- this color is a hue traditionally and deliberately associated with the University of Chicago.

This being said, we are always looking for ways to improve our website accessibility. I'll pass your comment along to our staff involved in this area.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Links

Broken link The link for Alternate Dispute Resolution Centres brings me to a "data recovery" web site. I believe the correct link should be http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/adr/default-en.asp

Thanks for noticing this -- we've forwarded it to the D'Angelo Law librarians, who maintain the American Law page where this is found.

Grids are Good

Please have whoever designs your home page look up 'Grids are Good' by NY Times Designer, Khoi Vinh: http://www.subtraction.com/archives/2007/0318_oh_yeeaahh.php

It might help.

We appreciated the article and have passed it along to our web folks.

Requesting a PIN number

I went to the following webpage: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/using/access/pin.html in order to request a pin for a Crerar Corporate Member account. The instructions on that page say that "Faculty, staff, and other library card holders should see Circulation desk staff at any campus library or email pin@lib.uchicago.edu to request a PIN number."

Since I am off campus, I decided to email the address noted above, but when I did that, the email was returned with the following message:
[error report snipped]
If there is a different email account to use for this purpose, or if all card holders should use the form provided on that page, then you may wish to update the information on the page to reflect that change.

Whoops!  You're right; pin@lib was getting a huge amount of spam, so it went away. Patrons needing a PIN should use the web form. We'll update the page to reflect this.