Although I have compiled a bookshelf of web design and development references, a short list of the essentials might be useful to the web designer on a budget. If I had to choose just a few, here are the books I’d place on my shelf for quick reference:
- The Elements of Typographic Style (alternatively, go with Ellen Lupton’s Thinking with Type if you are new to the subject)
- Universal Principles of Design
- Bulletproof Web Design
- Designing with Web Standards (2nd Edition)
- DOM Scripting
- Designing Interfaces
- Don’t Make Me Think or The Design of Everyday Things
- The PHP Anthology: Object Oriented PHP Solution, Volume 1
- AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design
- Information Architecture for the World Wide Web
With this little library, you’ll be able to plan, design, and build a professional web site from start to finish. The basic principles of design, typography, interaction design, Information Architecture, Usability, Web Standards development, and operating as a freelancer are covered in detail in these books. Anything more you might need to know can probably be found online for free.
