Libraries in Studio home tab: show a dedicated empty state when no libraries exist

[amnausman2002]

Type of Request

Fast Track Change (small, low-risk improvements)

Feature Description

TL;DR

The Libraries tab reuses the search/filter "no results" message for the case where no libraries exist at all. That message ("We could not find any result / There are no libraries with the current filters") wrongly implies a filter is hiding something, and it renders the search field, sort control, and results count for an empty set.

Proposal: add a dedicated empty state for when no libraries exist — remove the search/sort row and explain the permission required to create a library.

Current behavior

• When there are zero libraries, the page shows the same component used for an empty search result: heading "We could not find any result", subtext "There are no libraries with the current filters", and a "Clear filters" button.
• The search field, the "Name A-Z" sort control, and the "Showing 0 of 0" count all render even though there is nothing to search, sort, or count.
• Nothing on screen explains why the list is empty or what a user needs to do to create a library.

Expected behavior

Distinguish the two states:

No libraries exist (true empty state)

• Hide the search field, sort control, and results-count row.
• Show a dedicated empty state:
  • Heading: No libraries exist
  • Subtext: To create a library, you must have the course creator role, or global admin or global staff access on your platform.

Search / filter returns nothing (libraries do exist)

• Keep the current behavior: "We could not find any result / There are no libraries with the current filters / Clear filters." This is the correct home for that message.

Copy

The subtext is taken directly from the Libraries documentation so the permission requirement is stated accurately. Surfacing it inline means users understand why the list is empty without having to dig through docs to find out.

Scope

Small, low-risk, front-end only. No backend or data-model changes.

Designs / references

• Screenshot: current state - search "no results" message shown when no libraries exist, with search + sort still present
• Screenshot: proposed empty state - "No libraries exist" with permission explanation, search + sort removed

Link to Product Proposal

No response

Status

New

Proposed By

Nurture at Arbisoft

[github-actions]

Thanks for your submission, @openedx/openedx-product-managers will review shortly.

[sdaitzman]

This sounds good to me, with a few notes:

• I would love to see these designs make it into the shared Figma instance through the Shared Design Collateral process, let me know if I can help support that: https://openedx.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/BPL/pages/6164414467/Open+edX+Shared+Design+Collateral
• Suggested copy changes:
  • "No libraries exist" → "You have no libraries"
  • "To create a library, you must have the course creator role, or global admin or global staff access on your platform." → I would recommend including a "New Library" CTA alongside the empty state for users who can create a new library, and similar text to this current proposed text for users who do not, possibly with a link to the documentation. I actually thought that this empty state was included in the original designs / build-out, I wonder if there was a regression here?