Making the library web design process more collaborative // A case study using Figma to develop strategy-focused web solutions
At a time when libraries are doing amazing digital work, it’s deeply rewarding to help shape the tools that share those stories. This talk walks through how one public library built a lightweight design library in Figma, complete with reusable page patterns, motion guidelines, and component documentation, and began connecting it to live data like LibCal through a simple API. Along the way, you’ll see how small steps toward consistency and creativity can make design more collaborative, less intimidating, and a lot more fun. This reframing of the library web design process allows team members without expertise in web coding and graphic design to participate equally, including sharing critical input using their expertise and intended strategy to better inform a more user-friendly and innovative website. The session includes a short demo showing how a Figma “sandbox” can pull real library events or books into mockups, turning static design into something alive. It’s part how-to, part love letter to the power of library design work, and a reminder that what we’re building really does make a difference.