We've come a long way from the days of 'you must learn our system in order to use it'. From the Usability Guidelines at Yale University Library:
| Factor | Examples |
| Simplicity. Scale back features and dramatically simplify the experience for initial use. This should reduce unnecessary distractions, excess information, from initial screens. An initial search screen should not include advanced features, such as search by publisher or call number. | Avoid wordiness -- only show most necessary text, be concise. |
| Initial page should include only the most important and common tasks for this service with unobtrusive links to other advanced functionality. |
P.S. Remember the Yale site when the front page was one big graphic of nothing but a bunch of leather book spines?
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