[Web4lib] Link to Library site on College website

[Elisabeth Long]

>
> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:03:24 -0600
> From: nancy at thesmudge.com
> Subject: [Web4lib] Link to Library site on College website
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Message-ID:
>        <b7f78f1f4fc764d98060b8c724dca089.squirrel at email.powweb.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>
> The academic institution where I work is redesigning its website.
> Once again I am making the case for a link to the library site on the
> College home page.
>
>
We had a similar situation recently but I and our communications director
successfully argued for the importance of a Library link.  The University
was implementing a portal which would take care of the internal needs of
students and faculty so the main Univ web site was being refocused as a
communications and recruitment tool.
So we focused on these issues:
  - the Library is at the heart of the scholarly and pedagogical endeavor.
Its presence on the home page signals to the outside world the University's
values in this regard.  (conversely, its absence could be seen as signaling
a devaluing of research and collections)
  - we're a major research library so the depth of our collections is an
important draw for faculty and grad students and it should be easy for
prospectives to find us and see how we meet their research needs
  - the Library offers exhibits and special collections that are open to the
public and as such it is a destination for an external audience, not just
our internal students and faculty.  i.e. it is one of the cultural resources
on campus.