Summary - Site Map, Site Index

[Junus, Ranti]

Dear All,

Many thanks to everybody who responded to my question.  Based on the response, 
it seems the Site Map or Site Index provides quite a useful service to the users.  I asked
a follow up question: how was the Site Map or Site Index generated.  The responses 
indicated that the Site Map or Site Index was generated manually.  For Site Index, most
of them were built by choosing which terms were needed to build the index.  Input from
other users (suggestions, through search engine) were also used.

Some of the reponders indicated the need of using an automated program to generate
the Site Index.  One of them also indicated that having a clear name and easy to find 
location of the Site Map/Site Index link is important.
 
Here are the initial responses (I need to edit a bit some of them):

=====
We use a Site Index at http://www.ohsu.edu/library/sitemap.shtml and 
people seem to find it useful when wanting to search for our resources in 
alphabetical order (versus using our search engine, etc).
 
Laura

=====
To respond to your question, we have an index,.... It's linked off the footer 
of all our pages and is called the "Gateway Index". 
(http://www.lib.washington.edu/guide.html)

Hope this helps,
Jennifer

====
yep, I have one
http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/site_index.shtml
I know that the Ask-a-Librarian and info desk people like it and use it a lot.

http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/site_map.shtml
This is a page I never have gotten around to finishing.  I think it is
useful as a tool for a webmaster, but is also useful to demonstrate to
your library peers how much stuff you have to maintain!

Also, a site search is useful!

-Sam

=====
When I was Regional Campus/Distance Ed librarian I had to create a site map 
for the pages I did because our CyberCampus interface opened pages in new 
windows that did not have browser navigation buttons (no back button).  
I had a relatively small number of pages and created a site-map page for them 
and a link to the site map page from all the pages except the searching tutorials. 

http://internet.ggu.edu/university_library/ustudy/map.html

Steven Dunlap

======
I'm using at site index on our site. I just recently made major changes to
our site including adding the site index. I find it to be a good way for
people to find what they're looking for without having to navigate through
several screens.

Donna Winter					
Livonia Civic Center Library http://livonia.lib.mi.us



--
Ranti Junus - Systems
100 Main Library
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
+1.517.353.8587