John Rylands choose Reading Room

11/03/2010 - Manchester

Reading Room have just been appointed to redesign and develop the John Rylands University Library website www.library.manchester.ac.uk.

With more than 4 million printed books and manuscripts, over 41,000 electronic journals and 500,000 electronic books, as well as several hundred databases, the John Rylands University Library (JRUL) is one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the country. Their primary aim is to support students and staff of The University of Manchester in all areas of their study and research, but many collections can also be referenced by the wider academic community, independent researchers, schools and the general public.

The new website will engage with all of these groups and promote more clearly the breadth of service and the depth of the collections, including those housed at the John Rylands Library on Deansgate, one of the site libraries of JRUL. This magnificent neo-gothic building in Manchester's city centre is a major visitor attraction as well as a research library of world renown, housing some of the most significant books and manuscripts ever produced.

Reading Room's aim is to design and develop a sophisticated, technologically advanced site that will position John Rylands University Library ahead of its competitors. By utilising smart site architecture and cutting-edge search optimisation we will significantly increase site visibility and visitation whilst ensuring that the diverse JRUL audience requirements are continually met. (We are in fact kicking off this project with a set of intensive user workshops).

“Reading Room stood out from the crowd because of the work they had previously done and when we met with them they immediately understood the framework we had to work within and what we were aiming to achieve”. - commented Michelle Sharples - Marketing and Communications Manager at JRUL