Marshall University Libraries

Website Update

Our New Look

Big News: A New Digital Front Door for Marshall University Libraries!

For the first time in over five years, Marshall University Libraries has launched a brand-new homepage. We know the digital landscape has changed significantly since our last update, and we’ve built this new homepage in cooperation with the Marshall iCenter using the design thinking UX method, to better serve your research and study needs. Some features:
  • Modern Design: A fresh look that’s easier to navigate, informed by our users.
  • Enhanced Tools: Faster access to the resources you use most.
  • Mobile Friendly: Better browsing on your phone or tablet.
Best regards,
The Marshall University Libraries Team

About Design For Delight

  • Design for Delight (DfD) is a human-centered innovation and problem-solving approach created and popularized by Intuit. It focuses on deeply understanding users and creating products, services, or experiences that not only solve problems, but genuinely delight people.
  • Using Design for Delight (DfD) to update a college library website means redesigning the site around the real experiences, frustrations, and goals of students, faculty, and staff — rather than simply reorganizing pages or adding features.
  • The process focuses on understanding users deeply, testing ideas quickly, and improving the website through feedback and experimentation.

How We Applied the Three DfD Principles

1. Deep Customer Empathy

  • We first studied how users actually use the website.
  • The goal was to understand “What are users trying to accomplish, and what frustrates them?”

2. Go Broad to Go Narrow

  • Instead of jumping directly into one redesign, the library explored many possible solutions. Teams brainstorm broadly before choosing the best options.
  • Instead of one navigation menu concept, the team prototyped several, and tested which one works best.

3. Rapid Experiments with Customers

  • Rather than rebuilding the entire website at once, the library tests small changes quickly.
  • Feedback drives continuous improvement.

The Main Improvements

Better Student Access:

  • improve student success
  • reduce frustration
  • increase resource usage
  • improve accessibility compliance
  • support online learners
  • modernize digital services
  • make research easier

    • Helps Meet Library Goals:

  • retention
  • accessibility
  • increase resource usage
  • student engagement
  • digital equity

    • What is your opinion of this update? Please send us your comments and questions, if any.

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