home page content

[Elena OMalley]

Craig,

If you haven't already done so, you may want to post this question to PUBLIB as well.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/PubLib/

I work at an academic library, so this information may not be a great match for your
users' needs.

The most popular link on our homepage, by a wide margin, is our catalog. Our link 
is called "library catalog."

Our research databases and information about them, our media department, and our hours 
and calendar are also popular (based on web stat analysis). If we had proper space for 
the hours on the homepage, we'd put them there. Links from our "what's new", spotlight, 
and quick links (popular pages or links) are also frequently used. 

I wouldn't go so far as 'must', but I'd personally do my best to juggle in 
a link to the catalog, address(es) and phone number(s)/TTY (circulation and reference), 
hours and events (or links to them), and a link to children/teen/homework help services.

Good luck with your project,
Elena O'Malley
__
Elena O'Malley, Head of Library Computer and Internet Services
Emerson College Library, Boston, MA 02116

> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 15:27:59 -0400
> From: "Ginther, Craig" <Craig.Ginther at library.ottawa.on.ca>
> To: "'web4lib at webjunction.org'" <web4lib at webjunction.org>
> Subject: home page content
> Message-ID: <3B01F65FA1F0D511955500508BB44D0606FA438F at DC2EXC002>
> 
> We're starting to look at a website redesign, and I'd like to draw on the
> expertise of this group as a first step.  Are there certain types of
> information that you feel must be displayed on the 'home' page?  I'm
> thinking of things like branch locations, a link to the catalogue (or a
> quick search box) and databases, information on how to get a library card,
> fees/fines, etc.  
>
> Are there others that you feel are critical, based on hit counts or
> otherwise?  Any help would be greatly appreciated...
> 
> Thanks,
> Craig
>
> Craig Ginther
> Coordinator (Acting), Virtual Library Services
> Ottawa Public Library/Bibliothèque publique d'Ottawa
> 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2G 5K7
> Phone: 613-580-2424 X41588
> craig.ginther at library.ottawa.on.ca/
> http://www.library.ottawa.on.ca/