Before getting into the details on how to configure the site and create content, we'll introduce you to the anatomy of the site, how to navigate around Stacks, and discuss a couple of important points to think about as you begin building your site.

Anatomy of your Stacks site

Your Stacks site has 2 header areas that can contain various buttons and links which can direct your users/patrons to pieces of content in Stacks or to outside websites and services.  

Top Header

The top header is a bar at the top of the page, not to be confused with the "user bar" that can be seen when logged in as a user. This area is where users and patrons will see a Login (or Logout) option, My Account link (for logged in users/patrons), as well, depending on your configuration, you may see options such as:

• Location & Hours bar
• Font Resizer
• Language Selector
• Icons that link to Database Listings, Site Search, or Events

Some of these items may be turned on/off depending on the functionality you plan to use.

Header

The second header area is directly below the top header, this larger header area can be configured to meet your branding needs with an image or solid color background and here is where you would typically see:

• Your logo
• Site name and Slogan
• Call-to-Action buttons
• Main Navigation Menu
• Primary search bar

The overall layout and appearance of this area is controlled by the Theme you select, however, additional changes can be made by via the Style Editor. 

Content Area

The content area of your Stacks homepage can be configured in different sections with a 1, 2, or 3 column configuration. Content you create can then be added to blocks within these sections for your users/patrons to consume.

Content could include things like text, images, videos, and other forms of media that provide information or engage your users. Also available in this area will be additional filtering options or search functionality related to the different core features available with Stacks.

Footer

The footer area at the bottom of your Stacks site provides users additional important information that, like the header can provide additional branding options, as well you can include copyright notices, contact details, and links to various social media accounts. 

Navigating your Stacks site

Moving around Stacks is just like any other website, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

• If your site does not have site-wide password protection enabled, anyone can navigate to the site and begin browsing
• Clicking the links in menus, or features like Sliders, Callouts, Custom Blocks, etc. can direct people to other content inside or outside of Stacks
  • When clicking Outbound Links, which are links to other websites or services outside of Stacks, these will typically open in a new separate browser, but this is an adjustable setting
• If you have added your logo to the header, this can be used as a "Home" button to direct visitors back your homepage from anywhere in Stacks. You can also click your browser's "back" arrow/icon to navigate to previous pages
• Staff users who log into your site may see a few additional options on the screen
  • The "user bar" at the very top of the screen
    • Clicking the Dashboard button in the top left will take the user to the Dashboard area of Stacks
  • Administrators will see a series of tabs under the header, used for accessing the Layout Builder to add sections and rearrange content on your homepage. As well, they will see the Style Editor (paint brush) icon in the bottom right corner, this is used to configure and adjust various visual elements of your Stacks site