[WEB4LIB] using direct URL

[David King]

We have pointed customers to a direct webpage on our site, rather than
to our main URL only. For example, if we were writing about our local
history database, we'd direct people to "kclibrary.org/localhistory" -
and leave out the "www" and the "index.cfm" or whatnot - just the
easiest, most memorable way to get to the page. Our customers tend to
appreciate it.

What's the reasoning behind NOT wanting to use a direct URL? You're
right in that when using main site URLs, you'd have to then say "click
here, find the third link there," etc. Not terribly user-friendly! And
if you don't provide those directions, you have to have a way for users
to find the info on the main page of your site, be that a link or a
larger graphics-heavy web ad. Otherwise, most library web users won't
find the page (that'd be our case, anyway).

David King
Kansas City Public Library
816-701-3400, ext. 2503
davidking at kclibrary.org



-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Stokes Lauren P.
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 1:15 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] 

We are having a discussion about promoting an African-American InfoGuide
URL in the print materials promoting the events and activities tied to
the heritage month.  The theme for African-American Heritage Month (Feb
2005) is "Black Threads".  Some of us have suggested using a redirected
URL "blackthreads.lvccld.org" as the url to promote the InfoGuide which
has library, web and local resources listed in it.  Others think we
should only promote the library's website www.lvccld.org
<http://www.lvccld.org/>  in the print material.  This is what has been
done in the past.  There has never been a reference to a specific
'product' related to the promotion in the print material just a general
reference to see the website for additional information. =20 =20 Have
other libraries used a direct URL to a 'product' found on the website?
If so what results or feedback did you get?
=20
If you use just the library's URL how do you promote a specific
'product' in print material? Do you give them directions on how to find
it on the website?
=20
=20
=20
Lauren Stokes
Virtual Library Manager
Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
stokesl at lvccld.org
702.507.3414
=20



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