Need a new library website - help

Mon Jan 23 12:52:36 EST 2012

I agree with Sharon 100% regarding Wordpress.  Many national TV
broadcasting affiliates have adopted Wordpress for their web presence - so
it even fits their stringent corporate models of cost-benefit.  It is
flexible and easy to modify and maintain.  With the huge number of theme
variations available, I can't imagine where it would not fit the needs of a
public library website.

R. Balliot

On Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Alison,
>
> $10K will buy you the services of a graphic designer to come up with a new
> look for a WordPress website, plus a consultant to set it up and do any
> customization you may need to connect it to your OPAC, plus an annual
> hosting account and domain name registration.
>
> WordPress happens to be my current favorite hobby horse, so I'm definitely
> biased, but it really is ideal for public libraries. Polly Farrington--an
> outstanding instructor--has lots of material about WP on her wiki, and a
> new book on WP in libraries. She is currently running an online course for
> ALA, too.
>
> http://lib20.pbworks.com/w/page/16753907/classes-wordpress-websites
>
> The wp4lib wiki has a list of libraries that use WordPress,
>
> http://wp4lib.bluwiki.com/
>
> ... to which I would add my own FPOW. We had several preliminary
> discussions about the new website spanning several months, but when I
> finally sat down to do it, the set up and copying of content from the old
> site to the new site took me about 18 hours total.
>
> http://www.ryepubliclibrary.org
>
> Support for WP is great, and there is both a LinkedIn group for WP in
> general, and a Facebook group specifically for WP in libraries. Email me
> privately and I'll hook you up with the Facebook group.
>
> Good luck! It's always exciting to start a new website project.
>
> Sharon
> ----------
> Sharon M. Foster
> Digital Resources Librarian
>
> *"All accumulation, therefore, of personal property, beyond what a man’s
> own hands produce, is derived to him by living in society; and he owes on
> every principle of justice, of gratitude, and of civilization, a part of
> that accumulation back again to society from whence the whole came.*"
> ~Tom Paine
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 12:11 PM, Pruntel,Alison <
> Alison.Pruntel at fauquiercounty.gov> wrote:
>
>>  ***Cross-posted to Web4Lib, publib and lita listservs; apologies in
>> advance if you have to read this more than once!*******
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Hi all,****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Our county IT department is moving away from the current website
>> structure and looking at 3rd party vendors to host the county site(s).
>> From preliminary conversations, they are weighing Sharepoint  vs. Vision
>> Internet (http://www.visioninternet.com/index.aspx?page=1). From what
>> I’ve seen of Vision Internet, it appears that in most counties (at least in
>> Virginia),  the library system goes off to a separate domain/site (not the
>> Vision Internet design/site used for the rest of the county departments).
>> So we are thinking we may need to now budget to do something on our own.
>> ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> As I am just getting started (reviewing
>> http://www.webjunction.org/technology/website-development/-/articles/content/98104148,
>> etc.), am hoping to get some feedback from other libraries, especially
>> those in Virginia/metro DC area. ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Some background…****
>>
>> **·         **We don’t have our own IT department…just me for
>> “technical” issues; I use Dreamweaver to upload content to our current
>> site, maintain our ILS, etc. and otherwise handle other “electronic”
>> librarian duties for databases, e-books, etc. (i.e., “jack of all trades,
>> master of none”);****
>>
>> **·         **While not averse to using something like WordPress for a
>> CMS (hosted by someone else!), something more complicated/staff-intensive
>> like Drupal, Joomla, etc. and anything we’d be required to host ourselves
>> is not really an option at this point;****
>>
>> **·         **We don’t have a designer (let alone a web designer) on
>> staff; ****
>>
>> **·         **We do not want to be responsible for
>> purchasing/configuring/maintaining a server (to be hosted by our county)
>> for this…would want someone else to host;****
>>
>> **·         **Money is always an issue…$10K is probably all we could
>> afford at this point;****
>>
>> **·         **We have had NO discussions at this point with board,
>> amongst our staff, etc., as to what a library site should have or what our
>> goals are – and I am aware that should be priority number one;****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> In light of the above, can anyone who has been in a similar predicament
>> send me any advice/recommendations on a 3rd party vendor (particularly
>> one that works well with libraries) you used  and are happy with, and
>> ballpark cost? Accompanying RFPs would also be appreciated. I realize I
>> will be able to find some of this via discussion on WebJunction, TechSoup,
>> etc. (and have access to Library Technology Reports), but also will gladly
>> take any offline responses as I get started researching this.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Thanks in advance,****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> *Alison Pruntel*
>> Electronic Resources Librarian
>> Fauquier County Public Library
>> 11 Winchester Street
>> Warrenton, VA 20186
>> 540-422-8515 ****
>>
>> alison dot pruntel at fauquiercounty dot gov
>> *FCPL Web Site:* http://library.fauquiercounty.gov
>>
>> ****
>>
>> ** **
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>> 2012-01-23
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-- 
*******************
Robert L. Balliot
http://linkedin.com/in/robertballiot
 http://bestofpublib.wordpress.com
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http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
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