New Library Website

UPDATE:  Fixed the link to the website.  It helps immeasurably if you type the URL in correctly! 

I have the basics of the new library website up and running.  You can see it here.

I'm still working on getting admin to let me create a Facebook page for the library.  Think I'll build it without publishing it, and let them see it.

I wanted to embed a google calendar to display the library schedule, but apparently you can't do that with Wordpress.  There are a LOT of things you can't do with Wordpress--like a GoodReads bookshelf. I had to settle for a Flicker feed instead.

It's obviously still a work in progress--aren't websites always?--I'll add a page to display student work, add video tutorials, etc.

If anyone has other ideas for useful, interactive ideas to add, post a comment!

I'm Back...

Greetings from Mongolia!  It's been a rougher start than I anticipated, emotionally speaking.  I was definitely on overload the first few weeks; but now that school has started, and the familiar routines are in place (school is school, wherever you are), I'm settling, getting a routine going, and figuring out where to buy those little things like, you know.....FOOD!

Anyway, I am in the process of getting the library set up, getting policies in place, etc.  This involves of lot of rethinking of the program I set up at my old school, upgrading things that worked,  revamping (or dropping) things that didn't.

I've done a couple mindmaps of the library website in specific, and the library program in general. Add your thoughts for anything I may have left out! Notice the one on the library program has nothing on literacy yet. I'm still thinking about what I want to do with that. I will update it in a few days.

The NeverEnding Task

I've been working this week on re-vamping the library website. I'm on about my fifth layout, but think I finally found something I'm happy with. You can find the first few sample pages here.

It's a bit disheartening how long just these few pages took me--I had to go through a couple tutorials (Illustrator, Photoshop) to help with the graphics, which took about 10-12 hours. Then the constant redesigning. I've probably spent a good 60 hours on this so far!

One hopes the rest will go much more quickly, now that I have the general idea in shape.

Designing Your Library Website

My biggest project this summer--aside from tagging all the books for the new security system!--is redesigning the library website. The current version is OK, but desperately out of date and not very fun. I want something with a more jazzy look, more interactive, and definitely more educational!

So I've been digging online and reading, trying to find ideas for what I want. I've found some pretty good resources, and thought I'd share them for anyone else wanting to work on their site.

Pam Berger's InfoSearcher blog gives a good description of the two phases involved in building a library website.

Linda Bertland's Resources for School Librarians page provides a plethora of library website links. Be sure to look at Joyce Valenza's webquest page for a nice collection of best practice sites.

Best Practices in School Library Website Design Article from UNC.

Creating a School Library Website Learning module by Rosemary Horton.

I think I'll use iWeb to create the pages, rather than Dreamweaver, as originally planned. It's just so much easier, especially for including blogs and podcasts of the video tutorials I want to do.

I'll blog more about this later, when I'm further along the process.