Archive Item Pages

A new information architecture for clearer, actionable access to archival material.

ROLE

Product Designer (solo)

WORKED WITH

PM, developers, analyst

PLATFORMS

Responsive web · HE/EN/AR

TIMELINE

2023–2024 · Live

The National Library of Israel (NLI) is the leading institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich knowledge, heritage and culture of Israel and Jewish history.

As part of its ongoing efforts to fulfill this mission, NLI is upgrading its services to provide extensive online databases and resources. Currently, NLI is spearheading a major project to digitize vast portions of its archives, including manuscripts, books, and historical documents.

About NLI

The challenge

NLI’s user research, based on interviews with researchers, the general public, and partner institutions, pointed to one of users’ most frustrating moments: arriving at an archive item page and not being able to see the material. It wasn’t clear whether the material existed, why it wasn’t available, or what to do next.

The scope was narrow: make the placeholder clearer. Until then, when there was no digital file, users saw an empty gray box.

Previous design. Archive item page / Digital record.

Previous design. Archive item page / Logical record.

Previous design. Generic placeholder for the missing digital item.

The objective

The goal was to make the availability of the digital item clear, and to give every item page a consistent anchor, so users always know where they are in the archive and what to expect.

When the digital item is available, users should see right away where to access it. When it isn’t, they should understand why, see what the record still tells them and which related materials they can reach, and get actionable steps toward gaining access.

A label for the record type alone wasn’t enough for a general audience. Knowing a record’s type doesn’t tell most people what it means, or where they are. So I decided to go beyond the placeholder, and make sure users leave every page with something useful, rather than feeling they came for nothing.

End users

Researchers

General audience

Partner institutions

Institutions that make digital files accessible through NLI

NLI

Managing level

Customer service dept

Archive dept

Stakeholders and users

Team and work environment

CORE TEAM

Project manager

Product designer

Developer

System analyst

STAKEHOLDERS

Managing level

Head of Digital Product

Interested parties

The process

We studied archival description standards to understand how archival materials are organized, described, and grouped into hierarchical records.

We then mapped the different record types and the availability conditions users might encounter when accessing individual items. While an item record exists independently of its digital representation, access to the material can vary.

This analysis helped us identify what information users need across different scenarios and where we could offer meaningful next steps, even when the material itself was not digitally accessible.

Archival record types and availability conditions

Logical Records

Records organizing archival materials

Physical Records

Record in a tangible form

Availability conditions

Archive record

Series record

Legal prevention

Unavailable digitally

Available in NLI residency

Available digital file

Comparative research

We began by analyzing the types of information that other official data-collecting institutions provide to users.

Next, we examined how this information is communicated - specifically, how institutions indicate the location of digital files, explain reasons for unavailability, and suggest courses of action.

Rather than using a uniform grey placeholder to represent unavailability across all records, we chose to inform users differently for each specific case. This allowed for a more nuanced and user-friendly experience.

At the same time, NLI underwent a comprehensive rebranding that transformed the design across the entire website. I co-developed a new design system based on the updated brand identity.

I then applied the new design system to the newly introduced elements, ensuring they were both functional and consistent with the overall rebranding effort.

Design

New information architecture

I designed a new information architecture for archive item pages, establishing a consistent structure above the fold. It brings together three key elements: breadcrumbs, item information (I.D.), and an availability placeholder.

While the content varies between items, this structure remains consistent, helping users understand where they are, what information and materials are available, and what actions they can take next.

Previous design. Digital archive item page.

Previous information architecture

Implemented information architecture

Revised placeholder

When the digital file is unavailable, the placeholder states the availability level, the reason, and what users can do next. I replaced the generic grey box with text and an icon that match the record type, and added calls to action, so users have a way forward instead of a dead end.

Digital record placeholders

Missing digital item place holder. Available in NLI residency only..

Logical record placeholders

Selected placeholder variations

I.D.

I added an I.D. card to every item page, regardless of its availability. It surfaces the record’s key details, so users get something useful even when the file isn’t there, and don’t feel they came for nothing. The details can also point to ways around the access limit, or help users decide whether the item is what they need.

Physical item restricted due to confidentiality

Full item page

Physical item restricted due to confidentiality

Full item page

I.D. details

I.D. details

Consistent item information across availability states

Breadcrumbs

A label for the record type wasn’t enough, so I introduced breadcrumbs that show where the record sits in the archive hierarchy and let users navigate between its levels. I also added icons, based on archival description standards, to distinguish between types of records. Together, these make the archive’s structure clearer and easier to navigate.

New design. Digital archive item page breadrumbs..

The top-level details of the archive and the current item page are always displayed.

All breadcrumb elements are clickable, providing users with a clear and interactive view of the archive's structure.

Outcome

I was asked only to make the placeholder clearer, because users didn’t understand it. To do that properly, I designed more than a placeholder: a new information architecture, new components, and the logic that connects them.

That structure, along with the placeholder and its visual language, is still in use across NLI’s item pages today. When the site later moved to a new design system, the design was updated to match it, and the logic stayed.