I’m the new teacher-librarian for my school. I have a
beautiful facility… and the WORST library media center website you could
possibly imagine. OK, it isn’t totally useless; it features the mission
statement and a link to the Cobb Virtual Library. Of course, it also feature
links to a calendar (that is completely blank and static), Georgia Book Awards
list (except it is from last year’s nominations), and the Helen Ruffin Reading
Bowl info (also from last year… and our school isn’t even participating this
year – but that is a different story). I’ve been trying – unsuccessfully – to gain
access to the website or explore alternatives. I won’t take you through the
details, but suffice it to say it isn’t going to happen in the foreseeable
future.
I was already depressed about this issue, but having
researched the topic I’m progressing toward despondency. While having a website
is pretty much a given for school media center’s today, having no website would
be better than having a site that offers mostly out of date information. So,
tip number one: keep your site current, update frequently with information in
which your patrons have both need and interest. There is more I would do, if I
had the power. If you’ll humor me, I’ll share with you my daydreams of a world
in which I transform my school’s website.
In my dream world my website is so useful and engaging and
vital that all of the students set it as their home page. In my daydream plans
I start with the website’s purpose… what do I want it to do.
The list:
1. encourage reading - maybe blog and book
talk podcasts created by students and staff were posted.
2. facilitate communication
policies
contact information
schedules and events
patron feedback/requests (especially
for collection development)
surveys for needs as well as a survey of the
week to inspire discourse/thought/fun.
facebook and twitter connections
3. support students, teachers, and parents
with resources
OPAC, resource links, pathfinders, citation
guidelines and assistance, course standards,
4. provide TechTips
5. links to fun learning sites
6. highlight community resources and
happenings
support for families in need, cultural
festivals, local attractions that connect to curriculum, public library information,…
7. make it participatory… with blogging,
podcasts, surveys,…
The next step is to consider organization; how to present
the material in an easily accessible and logical manner. At this point I sometimes begin to trim my
goal list. If the site becomes to cluttered users will not return again. Don’t
overload the home page. Group information and set high priorities on what “makes
the cut” for inclusion. Additionally, give careful thought to the website
building options at your disposal. Wiki’s are favored by many for their
flexibility and ease for frequent updating.
Finally, I lecture myself against pitfalls:
Beware of too
much text
Keep weblinks
up to date
Use
appropriately proportioned and well-chosen graphics
While not over-cramming
the home page, keep the rest only a click away
Don’t
overwhelm your users with options. Be the expert!
– provide the few best choices for resources
Penny your article is great! We are ushering in a new era, where “old” media specialist do not understand nor want to use the computer to develop a website. The key thing is you have plan. I do not know the issues you face, but by putting a plan in place and showing others the powerful influence a media center website has on public relations will help you can control of your website. The question you should raise is how does anyone know the great facilities we have if they cannot visit? The answer should be through the website. This is a powerful public relations tool for the school and media center. I hope you can control of your schools’ website, because you have a great vision of what is should be.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. My problem is kinda a Perfect Storm. No point in elaborating on the Dodges I'm getting, since its all been grapevine conjecture and the Person Of Power at the county has not returned my attempts at contact. Our school only has one person (and she with limited experience, time, or interest in revamping) with access to the website. She has no authority to give me access... which circles back to the incommunicado Person of Power. Compounding that is the fact that the prior LMS was content with the site as is... so I'm struggling against the status quo.
ReplyDeleteFor your heartfelt encouragement I am grateful.
Your school's MC website sounds a lot like mine! Except all we have is a link to the catalog. I agree it is important to keep websites updated and accurate. For me, this would be my downfall in using a MC website. I would have big plans for it, but would become bogged down with other items and forget to keep it updated. Hopefully once I create it though it can be something I build upon and remain current. I think your dream list looks awesome and would benefit so many at your school! I'm sure you will manage to get it updated and running as you wish whenever time (and authority control) allow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the commiseration and encouragement!
DeletePenny, I knew this was your post before I even scrolled down to see. I guess I know your writing style. Lol. What is the head of Media at the county...Andy something-or-other? I think that is his name. Has he been the one who is incommunicado?
ReplyDeleteYour musings for the future look good. Now if you can just get in! (I often feel this way trying to get into UWG's webpage to access the Wikis, too. The password is my enemy, as is the reset process.)
Andy resigned to be a consultant/stay at home dad!... but oversight of the websites is another's domain.
DeleteI decided with the webpage project to jump in As If I have power and build it in Weebly. We'll see what is to become of it.
Penny,
ReplyDeleteAs beginning media specialists, I often feel like a first year teacher all over again (and that was a loooonnnggg time ago). However, with the excitement comes road blocks many times. When I am frustrated, I remember how far I had to go as a beginning teacher and what a great amount of time and energy I committed all those years ago. I had so many things I wanted to accomplish immediately and could not understand how or why no one else saw the immediate need that I did...lol. Those feeling have come full circle with media now. I too want to update and modernize my webpage, but due to infrastructure issues and specific programs, I am having to slowly buy surely make changes while not as quickly as I would like sometimes. I know however, it will happen....so don't give up on what you want for your media center site. You have shared some great ideas and I am going to use some of these ideas as well. It is obvious you want great things for your center and I have no doubt you will accomplish them by following through with your ideas shared here.
Right there with you... I've been at my school since 1989. Now I'm the teacher-librarian.
DeleteWow, your ideal media center webpage sounds great. Most of us would probably choose to include book talks, schedules and events, Pathfinders, etc., but your idea to include community events is awesome. I would have never thought to include things like that. Also, I agree that more students would likely visit and participate in the website if it was interactive through blogging, surveys, etc. Those are all great ideas. I had not really though about my future media center website, but you have given me a lot to think about. I would love to use some of these ideas as extras on my future website. The only problem, like you mentioned, is keeping the website up to date!
ReplyDeleteOh, in a perfect world Penny, our media center would have that lovely website with you :) Unfortunately, my school’s media web page is pretty dry and uninviting also. Our media specialist is new to the school and hasn’t been given “permission” to change the site. One of the administrators developed it (while we were between media specialists) and I think she is extremely proud of her work and doesn’t want to change it. Like you said of your web page, it definitely could be worse. The site provides basic information and includes a calendar (ours has some events, some outdated). It, however, is missing the big factors that make a web page useful and have that “glow” factor that makes students want to visit and participate in the inner-workings of the media center. I love your list of dream components for your web page. I will definitely keep and refer back to it for my own media center web page (if I’m given the opportunity to change it!). Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad how consistent the story is... even with building the site for an assignment... I find I have to keep to what might actually make it.
DeleteAs I tell the kids, when I rule the world, things will be different.