I looked at several websites within Missoula County Public Schools. We have recently switched webpage services so many of the websites are under construction. I also reviewed the Missoula Public Library page, http://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org, and the Target Range School website, http://target.k12.mt.us/site/default.aspx?PageID=1. After reviewing these websites and the articles provided, I came up with the five things I would ensure were on my library homepage.
1. The school's name, clearly displayed at the top of the page with address, name and phone number listed just below it. I always find myself trying to find a phone number or trying to verify if I have the correct school. Do you know how many Washington schools there are in the United States. If the school name was displayed clearly with the address and phone number located right below it, I would be able to quickly confirm I have the correct website. I would also include the library contact information such as an email address near this area.
2. I would also include the library's policies for checking out materials or using the computers, open computer lab times, and open library hours or hours of operation. Within this information I would also include ways that parents can use the library to support their kiddos.
3. I would have a school schedule of events. I always include a schedule of events in my newsletters for my 2nd graders and I would want to make sure that as a librarian I had the entire school's schedule of events easily accessible to all persons checking the website. I know how many calls our poor secretary gets leading up to field trips, picture day, etc. If this information was always available then maybe I could alleviate some of the stress on her.
4. I would also include links to resources that students often use at school. I know there are things like Worldbook, Spelling City, Webster'd Dictionary, Think Central, etc., that our teachers always use with the students and teach the students how to use. Since students learn this at school, they could then easily access them from other places.
5. Lastly, I would include the mission of the school and the library and links to staff contact information. This way parents can find the resources and information they need in one spot.
It's a good idea you have here to include some school contact info on the library page. It's annoying when you have to return to the homepage for the basic info that you are looking for and it doesn't take much room to include contact info on each page.
ReplyDeleteI like the list of site you included on number 4. We use some of the same ones here, but I will look into the ones that we don't.
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