Info on Library Web Sites

[Eric Schnell]

Good Morning, 

  I recently completed a survey of Web sites looking at this
very issue. While I am still compiling my results, which will
be presented at the Medical LIbrary Association Conference
in June and published soon thereafter, I thought you would 
be interested in knowing that addresses are not the only 
omited information. 

  Only 94% of the sites visited included a phone number! I say 
"only" because one would think 100% of the library sites would 
include at least one phone number, if even a local extention. 

    I think much of this discussion really centers on the local
philosophy for a Web site.  Some may chose not to include 
specific information on purpose.  Libraries may choose to 
omit phone numbers because they do not wish to get calls 
outside their primary patron group. 

   During my survey, I encountered one site which made 
no references to their physical library. It was all Internet
related resources. Is this wrong? Are they doing their
patrons a disservice?  How can I argue that this approach 
and philosophy the chose is wrong for their patrons?  

   It is the openess of the Internet that lets us find other 
libraries whether or not they really want us to. 

Just some random Friday thoughts.....


Eric


Eric
Eric Schnell, Head of Automation Services
Prior Health Sciences Library, Ohio State
  schnell.9 at osu.edu      614-292-4870
http://bones.med.ohio-state.edu/eric/eric.html