The document discusses guidelines for creating effective school library websites. It recommends that library websites provide basic information about the library, allow students to conduct research online, and be personalized for users. Websites should be professionally designed, up-to-date, easy to navigate, and encourage return visits from users. The document provides tips on website design, content, and maintenance to ensure usability.

1. Information taken from Technology for the School Librarian:
Theory and Practice by William O. Scheeren
Samantha Ragasa
LEM 511
Spring 2013

2. •What is the purpose of the
Web site?
•What do you want to
accomplish with the Web
site?
•What should the Web site
users be able to do?
•What will keep your users
on your school library Web
site?
•What encourages a user to
return to your Web site?

3. Why have a library Web site?
1. A “why are we here” Web site: basic information
that describes the library and what the library
does.
2. A “user-centered digital library” Web site:
allows students to do research from the Web
site.
3. A “personalized for users” Web site: (not very
common)

4.  Microsoft Office – takes a lot of training
 Web creation programs: Microsoft Expression
Web and Macromedia Dream Weaver – a little
training
 Web page template services: Schoolwires or
Weebly – takes no training, but not much
flexibility in how it looks

5.  be professional, attractive, and informative
 be basic information is easy to find
 have photos that are important, not cutesy
 be easy to use links and easy to read
 be up to date!
 have standard fonts
 be simple, not too busy
 be tested on different Web browsers and
with different Internet connections
 never have “under construction” on it!

6.  Make sure images are necessary and do not
take too long to upload
 Consider the audience – students. Make sure
they can navigate around the Web page.
 The Web site should be well organized so
users can find exactly what they need.
 Never use more than three images per page.
 Keep colors simple and a minimum of 4
colors a page.

7.  Do not use frames.
 Do not use bleeding-edge technology.
 Do not use scrolling marquees and animations.
 Do not use complex URLs.
 Do not use orphan pages.
 Do not use long pages that requires lots of
scrolling.
 Do not forget about a navigation bar, site
search, or a site map.
 Do not use flash!
 Do not use too much content.

9.  Online Public Access Catalogs (OPAC)
 Reference Resources
 Reference Assistance
 Connections to Curriculum Materials
 Literacy Materials
 General Information (Library phone
number, hours, etc.)
 Dynamic Materials (best-seller
books, student-produced reviews of books)

10.  In order to make your Web site easy to
update, follow these tips:
 Create a standard template for the entire Web
site containing the library name, logo, and a
navigation bar.
 Put only what users want and need.
 Do not use generic education clip art. Do not use
.alt tags.
 Use dark text and a light background.
 Have monthly dynamic information.
 Put things on your Web site that cannot be found
anywhere else.

11.  A Web site created by a school district and
limited to employees of the district. It can
be used to:
 eliminate paperwork.
 create a “best practices” forum or blog.
 allow for blogs or discussion groups to share
problems and successes.
 share news.
 provide effective search tools.

12. 1. Internet service provider (ISP) – a company that offers access to the
Internet and e-mail (usually with cost)
2. file transfer program (FTP) – allows you to post your Web site to your ISP
3. hypertext markup language (HTML) – the main markup language for creating
web pages and other information that can be displayed in a web browser
(needs lots of training)
4. Web creation software – software to create a web page; most popular
software programs are Microsoft Expression Web and Macromedia Dream
Weaver (needs a little training)
5. Intranet – a Web site created by the school district and has limited access
to employees of the district only
6. OPAC – an online database of materials held by a library or group of libraries
7. Web designer – someone who designs Web pages for use by all users
8. Web site frames - the display of one or more web pages or media elements
displayed within the same browser window
9. Scrolling pages – Web sites where all the information is on one long front
page. Students must scroll for a very long time to get to information
10. Orphan pages – Web pages that does not contain any identifying information
and does not allow the user to get back to the previous Web page.

13. 2. Prepare, test, and publish a school library
Web sites either for your own school or for a
school you are familiar with. Be sure that
you use the guidelines provided in this
chapter and that you test it on several
browsers.
URL: http://mrsragasa.weebly.com/
3. Research the Internet and locate six Web
sites, three of which you consider to be good
and three you consider to be poor. Construct
a presentation for your class showing these
Web sites and describing the case of or
against each Web site.

14.  Library media specialists play an important
role of providing rich technology resources
for students. The library Web site can be an
important tools for students to gain
knowledge and access the library after hours.
 Library media specialists should create a Web
site that is accessible to all users, easy to
navigate, helpful, and up to date.

15.  Great Library Media Web Site to View:
http://sites.rusd.org/mrs-harteau-s-library-
media-site/
 Library Media Specialist Blog:
http://elementarylibrarian.com/
 Free Web site creator: www.weebly.com

16.  Library media Web design help:
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/
Technology/Guides/Web_Page_Design.html
 Many school library Web sites to view:
http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/web2
.html