Coming Changes Will Enhance Gospel Study Experience Online

Contributed By Eleanor Cain Adams, ChurchofJesusChrist.org Church News staff writer

Article Highlights Starting now until June, the gospel study content on ChurchofJesusChrist.org will begin mirroring the Gospel Library mobile app.

Users will be able to test the new interface and leave feedback.

“This makes it a lot easier to handle the global perspective of language translations and how we offer content. It unifies the global experience for study material.” —Jennifer Smith, Gospel Library Online product manager

In the coming months, scriptures, magazines, manuals, and other gospel study content on ChurchofJesusChrist.org will begin mirroring the structure of the Gospel Library mobile application.

Though some small changes have already been implemented, Gospel Library Online product manager Jennifer Smith anticipates the enhancements will roll out slowly from now until June, eventually replacing the old navigation links for gospel study-related materials. The transition will occur in all 118 translated languages.

“Some of the most important content the Church provides is study content found in the Gospel Library app,” said Lyman Kirkland, director of ChurchofJesusChrist.org. “It’s a great experience in the app where members can study and also keep their notes, and this change to ChurchofJesusChrist.org provides a parallel experience, but for the web.”

While this latest effort to enhance users’ experience online won’t affect the look of the homepage itself, Smith said it will provide a streamlined user experience to make gospel study-related content more accessible.

“Instead of gospel study-related content being spread across multiple sections of ChurchofJesusChrist.org and across six different menus, this update to the site will consolidate the content into one location and will be very similar to navigating the Gospel Library mobile app,” Smith said.

The new online structure gives more users the opportunity to study and write notes from the larger interface of their desktop and keyboard, which ChurchofJesusChrist.org has already offered in a consistent experience with the mobile phone.

“It unifies that experience and improves the study experience. It helps us to greatly simplify ChurchofJesusChrist.org,” Kirkland said. “Instead of having many different ways that we provide study content, it’s all unified in a way that’s consistent with the app.”

A single location for gospel study material also improves the study experience the Church offers for members around the world, Smith said. “This makes it a lot easier to handle the global perspective of language translations and how we offer content. It unifies the global experience for study material.”

A beta version, or testing version, is available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org/study for users to explore what the changes will be like and submit their feedback.

Various users have already submitted anonymous praise for the new format:

“I personally really enjoy the beta Gospel Library layout,” one user wrote. “It is familiar to the mobile version and, from what I am seeing, works smoothly. I would love to be able to consistently use this interface.”

Another added: “I think I really like the new integrated Gospel Library app to website experience. It gives it a seamless feel, which makes finding what you need easier.”

Although the new interface isn’t completely finished yet, Smith said users’ feedback is valuable and will help improve the experience in the coming months.

“It’s not fully built up to where we want it to be,” Smith said, “but it’s built enough where we feel comfortable having people come in, explore, and utilize it. All are welcome to start using this experience today and provide us feedback.”

The feedback link can be found at the bottom of the beta Gospel Library’s home page, or by scrolling to the bottom left of each gospel-study table of contents page, above the Church’s logo (pictured below).

Additional digital enhancements to ChurchofJesusChrist.org gospel study materials are also in the works, Smith said. One future web enhancement already available on the app is the option of different screen modes, such as sepia or night mode. Another enhancement she anticipates in the future is offering related media alongside study content, such as Bible videos appearing alongside scripture passages.

Gospel study material on ChurchofJesusChrist.org will soon look more like the Gospel Library app, making it easier to highlight scripture passages.

Highlighting text will become easier with the changes coming to ChurchofJesusChrist.org in the coming months.

Changes coming to ChurchofJesusChrist.org in the coming months will make it easier to highlight and make notes on gospel study materials.

To find the feedback link, scroll to the bottom left of each gospel-study table of contents page as indicated here.