Welcome to my website! My name is Andrea Spargo and I am a graduate student enrolled in the Master of Library and Information Science program at the University of Rhode Island. This website is the capstone project for LSC 548: Information Architecture and Web Site Development.
Through this course, I have developed an understanding of the importance of information architecture and the role it plays when creating information spaces, whether they are websites, mobile apps or other types of technology. I learned how to create and style webpages using HTML code. I created a stylesheet using CSS code to streamline the process of formatting and updating multiple webpages at once. Finally, I learned how to write basic scripts using JavaScript. The “Click here” button below is one example of how I used JavaScript to make parts of my webpages interactive.
The foundation for building this website began with completing a series of labs designed to reinforce the information architecture concepts found in our readings. Using the Buswell Memorial Library at Wheaton College in Illinois as a case study, I began by examining how its website has changed over the course of a decade. I designed and administered a usability test and created a treemap as a way to visualize all of the content included on the Library’s homepage. The results of the labs, which also included creating an app and writing a JavaScript, can be found under the “Lab Projects” tab.
This website also includes a portfolio of the work I have completed throughout my enrollment in the MLIS program. My coursework has combined the theoretical aspects of librarianship with practical application. For instance, I developed information literacy curriculum for elementary and college students, created libguides, and completed a virtual professional field experience with the San Francisco Public Library’s Jail & Reentry Services program. Examples of my work may be found under the “GLIS Highlights” tab.