Template talk:Infobox library

Image size, collection size
There doesn't seem to be an Image size parameter here, as there is in many comparable infoboxes. Could that be added? A wider image might prevent the problem with the Collection size field, which seems not to be well anchored to the left. Example at Biblioteca Comunale (Siena). Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 21:46, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

Some problematic parameter instructions
I'll leave it to others to hash this out (it doesn't interest me enough) but some of the instructions I see here don't smell right: EEng (talk) 14:03, 27 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 1) "abbreviate millions by an unspaced 'M'" -- WP:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers says not to do this
 * 2) "Name of the director. Should be preceded by 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' since first names may be either used by both sexes or unidentifiable by many readers" -- why immediate identification of the director's gender is such a priority I do not apprehend.

Updating Infobox library
It seems to me that there is a good opportunity to increase the usage of Infobox library on many articles by simplifying the instructions some and including the use of templates that have been developed in the years since to greater affect.

Some that I think could be used better are: - Jeanjung212 (talk) 21:35, 20 March 2017 (UTC)
 * coord for coordinate information, letting people know that decimal notation is okay too and to use type:landmark
 * URL for the website information, currently many boxes use old style links
 * currency for budget information, this allows for specifying type of currency as well
 * start date and age for established information, this better formats the date instead of being hard coded, start date for libraries closed
 * end date and age for dissolved information, this better formats the date instead of being hard coded
 * significant figures for number fields in which the rounding to 2 or 3 significant figures is desired, this ensures the correct rounding is done and the exact information is kept intact in the source

Library own publication
I believe libraries often publish their own "Publications", such as "Annals" or "Manuscript catalogs" and "Bibliographies", sometimes other publications, yet there is no such parameters in this Infobox. I am convinced that some libraries published, and still publishing, some well known and important annals and catalogs. Any chance this could be taken into account in future update ?-- ౪ • • •  ౪  • • • 99° ४  20:30, 26 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Could you give an example of this and how you envision it being included? Thanks! Jeanjung212 (talk) 16:12, 6 June 2017 (UTC)

Area served
It seems that a parameter for the size of the area served, along with other data such as population and circulation size, may be helpful in comparing libraries. Hyacinth (talk) 05:43, 6 September 2017 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure how you would determine from sources the size of the area served, I rarely have seen this stated by libraries because of how nebulous it can be. I think pop_served along with collection_size/annual_circulation are so similar to population/circulation size that you mention I don't see how the information would be sourced. I am interested in it as an idea though if you can find some examples of how it would work. Jeanjung212 (talk) 13:45, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

Showing the coords on a map
I could not see it documented but found by experimentation that you can display the coords by adding a location_map field which should be set to one of the names of a location map found in Category:Location map templates or one of its subcategories (the bit after "data/" is the value of the field). You can see an example at State Library of New South Wales (where you see the coords displayed on a base map of Australia). I just thought I would share this in case others wanted to do something similar or someone wanted to document it. Note you may have a variety of maps to choose from. In the case the State Libary of New South Wales, there were a number of choices including Australia, New South Wales, Sydney and Sydney central. Kerry (talk) 05:31, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Mapframe maps?
Infobox building and Infobox shopping mall have both recently been updated to automatically show dynamic mapframe maps by default. I am proposing to similarly show such maps by default for this template, with the same optional parameters to adjust the size, frame center point, initial zoom level, and marker icon; and to similarly allow the mapframe map to be turned off using no. See Template:Infobox building and Template talk:Infobox building for further information. - Evad37 &#91;talk] 15:36, 31 August 2018 (UTC)
 * I guess nobody reads this talk page, but I support this measure. ɱ  (talk) 13:46, 25 March 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅, see Template:Infobox library for parameters that can be used to adjust the maps - Evad37 &#91;talk] 01:18, 27 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Thanks so much! I just got rid of an embedded infobox here and even made an improvement. Best, ɱ  (talk) 01:33, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

Native name first
Why does this template prioritize showing the native name first, putting it above the English name? This practice is contrary to pretty much every other infobox which puts native names under the English names. Opencooper (talk) 01:05, 25 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Opencooper, agreed. we should probably switch over to native_name like almost all other infoboxes. I have added some tracking to find pages using name_en. Frietjes (talk) 18:29, 25 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Awesome, thanks a lot. Opencooper (talk) 18:23, 26 November 2018 (UTC)

National Library of Catalonia
A recent change to this template has given "Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 1185: attempt to concatenate field '?' (a nil value)." for Size in the infobox at National Library of Catalonia. The reason is the following line added to the template:

I haven't looked at whether needs to be fixed or whether the module should do something different with whatever the problem is. I'm hoping Zuphilip will know what is needed. Johnuniq (talk) 03:06, 2 January 2019 (UTC)


 * Johnuniq, thank you for the ping here and the problem description. It seems that the template itself produces an error for this special combination of parameters and the not sourced statement about the collection size for the National Library of Catalonia in Wikidata. I have reported that back and hope it will be fixed soon. For the meantime I have deleted the qualifier parameter in the infobox, such that no error anymore is shown. --Zuphilip (talk) 07:39, 2 January 2019 (UTC)
 * OK, thanks. Johnuniq (talk) 08:16, 2 January 2019 (UTC)
 * I restated the previous state again (with the qualifier) now, because the Module:WikidataIB was fixed. --Zuphilip (talk) 20:41, 2 January 2019 (UTC)

Founder
Please include parameter for Founder in this template. Thanks SWP13 (talk) 15:39, 19 March 2020 (UTC)

Librarian
Please include parameter for Librarian in this template. Thanks SWP13 (talk) 15:40, 19 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Why? Nikkimaria (talk) 20:46, 19 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Smaller libraries with only one librarian could use this; not sure if there's articles for those, but in case there are it would be relevant. Another thought, some libraries may use the term "Librarian" for their head librarian. ɱ  (talk) 13:49, 25 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Would expect those cases to use the existing parameter for director. Nikkimaria (talk) 01:46, 26 March 2020 (UTC)
 * I wouldn't, that could be misleading when that's not their given title. And 'director' wouldn't be appropriate if they don't have any staff to direct. If you wish, a custom title option could be added, like cities have; would work for other cases like interim director, (notable) reference librarian, etc. ɱ  (talk) 01:23, 27 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Director would be appropriate if they direct the library, whether there are other staff or no. Definitely don't think a general field would be appropriate, as it'd be a magnet for cruft. Nikkimaria (talk) 01:45, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

Public transit
Can someone add parameters for transit here? This is pretty important connection information, available in many infoboxes like Infobox station, Infobox shopping mall, Infobox museum, Infobox park, and more. ɱ (talk) 17:55, 23 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Support. Clarify: add publictransit, which would display "Public transit access". Vaselineeeeeeee★★★ 19:12, 23 March 2020 (UTC)
 * with no complaints here, could you help add this parameter above the website parameter here? Thank you, ɱ  (talk) 05:25, 14 April 2020 (UTC)
 * Same goes for Infobox airport and Infobox NRHP, above the website parameter. No issues there either it seems. ɱ  (talk) 05:28, 14 April 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅ for this template. Please adjust the documentation. – Jonesey95 (talk) 14:48, 14 April 2020 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Will do. Would you do the same for Infobox NRHP as well please? ɱ  (talk) 17:04, 14 April 2020 (UTC)

"Librarian"
@User:Tsiluciole has asked at the Teahouse that this does not work. See User:Tsiluciole/sandbox. Anything helpful on this? ─ The Aafī   (talk)  11:31, 20 January 2023 (UTC)
 * To clarify. Someone added the field to the documentation, without adding code to the template. - X201 (talk) 11:47, 20 January 2023 (UTC)

ISIL
Request: Please add the parameter ISIL (International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations). Thanks. Grimes2 (talk) 07:40, 11 February 2023 (UTC)
 * That should go at the bottom of the article instead. Nikkimaria (talk) 13:51, 11 February 2023 (UTC)
 * German Infobox Bibliothek includes parameter ISIL. But I've no problem with adding in "External links". Grimes2 (talk) 14:40, 11 February 2023 (UTC)

Misc fixes
Collection header is displayed if there is a value in any of several parameters. Other information header... Just checking before I boldly fix them — GhostInTheMachine talk to me 11:08, 9 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Test omits, ,
 * If is an alias for, then output needs to use either
 * Test omits, ,
 * Test should not include

Library maps
I just caught that you moved the mapframe map location on this template. I don't agree with the move; there are plenty of other infoboxes with different locations for their maps (infobox station immediately comes to mind), and for this template especially, it will help to balance out the infobox by placing maps at the bottom. The top of this infobox is heavy already, with a logo and an image, meaning pages like New York Public Library and Seattle Public Library have a lot of graphics to look at (for some people or devices, a whole screen worth) before you can even see some basic facts. ɱ (talk) 19:39, 9 May 2023 (UTC)