[Web4lib] Web4lib Digest, Vol 66, Issue 2

[Stewart Baker]

Hi Mary Beth.

I know tons of examples of really awful library websites, but very few
examples of really good ones.

You can try the following list and see what you think of some there:

Library Success Wiki -
http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design  (mostly
academic/public/special)

If I can blow into my own tuba for a bit, I actually wrote a blog post on
this exact topic yesterday: http://blog.infomancy.net/?p=137 (academic
libraries because that's what I work in, but it should still be good for
schools.)

To be honest, I think you're better off looking outside the realm of library
websites for examples of good design.  The principles are the same whether
you're teaching students to research and think for themselves or trying to
shove the latest so-great-we-have-to-convince-you-it's-great product down
their throats.

I would also look into design blogs like A List
Apart<http://www.alistapart.com/>,
which talk about general design topics at a level that will probably be
beyond the average school librarian, but which should be helpful when
designing the course itself.

Stewart Baker
Library
CSU Dominguez Hills
Web Services / Reference

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Original Message
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From: Mary Beth Faccioli <mbfaccioli at yahoo.com>
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 14:00:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Web4lib] well done school library websites?
I am in the process of developing an online course on creating websites for
school librarians.  I'm wondering if anyone on the list can point to some
well done school library sites that might be used as examples.  I'm looking
for examples of static sites as well as those using open source or free (or
very low cost) CMS/blog/wiki approaches.  Thanks in advance for any leads.

Mary Beth Faccioli, MLIS
Instructional Design and Technology Consultant
Colorado State Library