Media Center Websites

     If I have learned one thing through this experience is that no two media center webpages are alike.  There are so many differences between them that I could never list them all. Some web pages are better than others. Some are obvious winners, while others, on the surface may not look all that spectacular, but once explored turn out to be really good, efficient websites. The most important thing to me about media center websites is to build one, make it great, and keep it updated. Jurkowski pretty much says it all in his description of a library website in his book “Technology and the School Library”. He says, “The library website is the point of access to electronic resources the library subscribes to or owns; the way to find print resources, and a place to share news, information, policies and other documents.” Because we live in a technological world, most people will visit a website before coming into the actual, physical facility. So, the library website has a huge responsibility to grab the attention of its users, and keep them coming back.

     When designing the website, it is important to keep the audience in mind. The same type of content and graphics that may be appropriate for an elementary school may not be the best idea for a high school. Chapter 6 of the Jurkowski book  has a very helpful checklist for building and maintaining a website at any level. One very important thing to remember is to KEEP IT UPDATED! Having links and information is always a good thing to include, but if the links are no longer active, and the information is out of date, it becomes frustrated for the user. One of my biggest pet peeves is visiting a site, and seeing that the announcements on the home page are out of date. If the home page is out of date, I rarely bother to check anything else. It is a good idea to check the links to outside sources periodically to make sure they are still active links.

     A website should be attractive, and eye catching, but without being too busy. Sometimes too much stuff is not a good thing. There is some truth to the saying “less is more.” The Milton Middle School media website was one that I especially liked. It has a very modern and cool design scheme that I think would be very suitable for middle school students.  It is colorful, uses different fonts and designs, yet is still easy to navigate and follow. Some high school websites are more uniform, and usually incorporate school colors, which again, I think for high school is perfect. The key is to again, consider the audience of the website, and go with what suits those needs. It should also be very ORGANIZED. It is a waste to have lots of valuable information, yet have it so scattered that it can’t be found and utilized. The home page should be clean, with buttons to other pages in plain sight. It should be easy to use and easy to follow.

     I was able to see some awesome websites, and some that weren’t as thorough. Some of the key things that I look for in a library website include:

·         Logistics like librarian, library hours or schedule, school information

·         Policies and procedures (for students, teachers, and parents)

·         Access to available databases

·         Links to the OPAC for searching

·         A section for books, book reviews, featured books, etc.

·         Depending on the grade levels, research information

·         Helpful links for students, teachers, and parents

With many of these items that should be included on a website, there may need to be some kind of a description too, or brief directions about accessing certain things. There are many other things that I found on websites that I thought were extremely helpful, but the ones listed above are a must. You can always add to a website, but it should have a good strong foundation to start with.

     I think that a school media center webpage should be just that…a webpage. A lot of the information included is not something that would need commenting on or editing by anyone other than the librarian. However, I definitely feel there is a place for wikis, blogs, and other type tools. For example, some of the websites I visited had wikis where students could do book reviews, and even video trailers for books. This to me is a great way to get kids involved in reading. Other sites had a library blog and blogs about various books and authors, which again, was a way to engage students. However, the website itself was an actual webpage. The downside to including blogs is that they need to stay current. Some of the blogs that I found hadn’t been updated in a couple of years, in which case should be removed from the site. Symbaloos are a new thing to me, but I am seeing are extremely helpful. It is a place to save popular websites, all in one place. Rather than teachers having to save them on their “favorites” on their computers, this is a way to store the websites, in an organized way, and can be accessed from the library website. So, the saved sites can be accessed from anywhere.

     One of my favorite features that I found of several websites, at all levels, was the inclusion of book reviews, student written summaries, and book lists. With technology, sometimes I think we lose sight of the fact that BOOKS are still our job. Students are our best resources for turning others onto various pieces of literature, so why not let them advertise it. This is something that can be done at all grade levels, and I think it would be a huge success for the students, teachers, and parents.

     Other features that I found helpful were the sites that included EXTRAS. Creekview High School’s website, “The Unquiet Library” includes a whole section of “LibGuides” which are research pathfinders. These would be wonderful resources for both middle school and high school students. You could tell a lot of time was put into them, and they were full of awesome information. Creekview also used YouTube as a way to showcase student work. This was a neat way to get the students involved, and one that is definitely up-and-coming. Milton Middle School and others included research guides and information on MLA formatting.

     The most awesome website that I came across was Lakeview Middle School. The link for this website is listed below. Not only did it include most of my typical look-fors, but the extras were amazing. One of the things that caught my attention was a wiki on Web 2.0 tools…. This will be very helpful for all of us as we are working on our technology projects. There is a section for citation assistance, copyright information, and helpful homework sites. There are teacher support links as well. The reading tab displays pictures and summaries of various titles, showcasing student projects. Another helpful feature is the video tutorial on accessing eBooks. The librarian did a screencast video on using the OPAC, conducting a search, and how to access the eBooks. Many websites have some information about eBooks, but having this tutorial really set this site apart. It was easy to understand and follow, which will result in more students actually checking out eBooks, rather than being unsure of what to do and just not doing it. The site was definitely one to look to as a great example.

http://www.lakeviewspartans.org/webpages/lmslibrary/

     There is so much that goes into a media center web page. It can be a full time job just keeping it up, but one that is worth doing. The webpage is many times, the invitation into the library. It’s the first impression of not only the library itself, but the people in it. So, take pride in the website, make it appealing for the appropriate audiences, and keep it current. Though it should be an ongoing project, this is a great place to start!