Activity #4: Review of Websites -
Website Wows, Woes & Whoas!
Scotch College Library and Information Centre:
Okay, talk about impressive! Website design aside momentarily, this library is hosting its 5th biennial Scotch College Literature Festival: “Story Matters” in August. The dynamic (and zany) advertisement for this event is currently the first visual that greets the wandering eye when you load the library’s webpage. Someone has some acute web design skills—certainly taking pride and joy in its creation. Aside from hosting numerous guest speakers the likes of Marcus Zusak (The Book Thief) and a host of other performers, this event features “Books, Blokes and Breaky” (pronounced with a strong Aussie accent, of course!) – “an opportunity for dads, granddads, uncles and big brothers to get together over a delicious FREE breakfast to talk books.” How great is that?! Okay, somewhat reluctantly I pull myself away from the lure of library “genius”...and examine the site itself:
First Impressions: I like the color scheme. A quick scoot of the mouse over each icon produces a “table of contents” scan and a further mouse explore over the “T of C” topics results in a brief explanation of what you’ll find. A quick glance at the Library Blog makes me wonder who is selecting the books for review and for whom that portion of the blog is written – it’s a boys’ school is it not? (Just curious.). I did like that students can submit reviews in this forum. Under the “Scotch Bib” tab lurks an impressive list of accessible databases, online encyclopedias, a Reference Centre, bibliography helps, you-name-it—it’s there. There’s even a list of TV programs that are recorded weekly by the Library Media Team. (Hands up – who among us would like their own Library Media Team?—Not to mention a Library Auxiliary of over 100 volunteers! Just think of what could be accomplished! Finally, the library catalogue (once you can actually find it!) is extensive and easy to use.
Deeper glimpses: What could possibly be missing from this professional, polished and well-organized website? For me, it was the “frontispiece” to a vibrant, well-run library that equally and actively promotes academic research (skills and resources) and literature appreciation.
Overall: I give it full accolades. It is definitely a site I’ll revisit for website links and other borrowed ideas!
North Elementary School Virtual Library Media Center
First Impressions: Is it my “aging” eye sight, is it too late at night, or is this website “blurry and fuzzy” around the edges? Aside from a lack of “font crispness” I do like that “what you see is what you get” right away on the main page. Considering that this is an elementary school library, its easy access is a strong feature.
What I liked: This website seems “attainable”. For someone like me with limited resources, limited web skills and limited library time, I felt I could probably accomplish something like this for my own library. Mr. Carl A. Harvey II (the second), has used a district-hosted main page with links to wiki spaces to further expand his library website. I liked the fact that the site provides prominent links to external public libraries, promoting other library usage and extending the school library’s own resource base. I also liked the addition of Parent resources links—something I would like to include on my own website (although...I thought it rather unfortunate that 2 out of the 6 topic areas for Parents were “Divorce” and “Tragic Events”). Furthermore, I thought that any teacher would appreciate the links to Teacher Planning Resources. I thought the “Policies and Procedures” section is a must-have feature for an “informed community”. If you check out Mr. Harvey II’s blog and personal info, you’ll find he’s quite an impressive person—a published author, a frequent speaker/presenter and an award-winning library specialist – Wow.
What I wondered about: I wondered why the literacy links (read-alouds, book awards and author visits) were listed under Library Media & Technology. I thought they could be under a heading more aptly named...Several links under this heading did not work.
Overall: An easy-to-navigate and engaging site for an elementary school community.
Lord Byng Secondary’s Library Website
First Impressions: I liked the featured student art work forming part of the title “headline” for the Byng Library. However, this sharply contrasts with the immediate message: “Parents-Regarding overdue books. It’s rather alarming to have this message so boldly pronounced right on the main page. As someone who just spent the last weeks of school “hounding and haunting” high schoolers for overdue books – I certainly understand the sentiment. However, I think its positioning on the main webpage sends the wrong “tone”. The kind of tone that conjures images of the “severe & shushing” teacher-librarian... I can’t say I felt further endeared or welcomed by the succeeding questions: “Where is it? Who are the librarians?”...
Deeper glimpses: Oh dear...what can I say? Grumpy comes to mind... After examining the Library Blog for something exciting under Library News, I was completely floored by the following message: “It takes time to track down your overdue books, not to mention the annoyance to your teachers when we interrupt you during class!” And “Leave your food and drink OUTSIDE the library.”
Ever heard of the book A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon? Well, this webpage is a “Bad case of Tone”.
Overall: Yikes! I think I’d be scared to go to the library. (just being honest here...)
Website Wows, Woes & Whoas!
Scotch College Library and Information Centre:
Okay, talk about impressive! Website design aside momentarily, this library is hosting its 5th biennial Scotch College Literature Festival: “Story Matters” in August. The dynamic (and zany) advertisement for this event is currently the first visual that greets the wandering eye when you load the library’s webpage. Someone has some acute web design skills—certainly taking pride and joy in its creation. Aside from hosting numerous guest speakers the likes of Marcus Zusak (The Book Thief) and a host of other performers, this event features “Books, Blokes and Breaky” (pronounced with a strong Aussie accent, of course!) – “an opportunity for dads, granddads, uncles and big brothers to get together over a delicious FREE breakfast to talk books.” How great is that?! Okay, somewhat reluctantly I pull myself away from the lure of library “genius”...and examine the site itself:
First Impressions: I like the color scheme. A quick scoot of the mouse over each icon produces a “table of contents” scan and a further mouse explore over the “T of C” topics results in a brief explanation of what you’ll find. A quick glance at the Library Blog makes me wonder who is selecting the books for review and for whom that portion of the blog is written – it’s a boys’ school is it not? (Just curious.). I did like that students can submit reviews in this forum. Under the “Scotch Bib” tab lurks an impressive list of accessible databases, online encyclopedias, a Reference Centre, bibliography helps, you-name-it—it’s there. There’s even a list of TV programs that are recorded weekly by the Library Media Team. (Hands up – who among us would like their own Library Media Team?—Not to mention a Library Auxiliary of over 100 volunteers! Just think of what could be accomplished! Finally, the library catalogue (once you can actually find it!) is extensive and easy to use.
Deeper glimpses: What could possibly be missing from this professional, polished and well-organized website? For me, it was the “frontispiece” to a vibrant, well-run library that equally and actively promotes academic research (skills and resources) and literature appreciation.
Overall: I give it full accolades. It is definitely a site I’ll revisit for website links and other borrowed ideas!
North Elementary School Virtual Library Media Center
First Impressions: Is it my “aging” eye sight, is it too late at night, or is this website “blurry and fuzzy” around the edges? Aside from a lack of “font crispness” I do like that “what you see is what you get” right away on the main page. Considering that this is an elementary school library, its easy access is a strong feature.
What I liked: This website seems “attainable”. For someone like me with limited resources, limited web skills and limited library time, I felt I could probably accomplish something like this for my own library. Mr. Carl A. Harvey II (the second), has used a district-hosted main page with links to wiki spaces to further expand his library website. I liked the fact that the site provides prominent links to external public libraries, promoting other library usage and extending the school library’s own resource base. I also liked the addition of Parent resources links—something I would like to include on my own website (although...I thought it rather unfortunate that 2 out of the 6 topic areas for Parents were “Divorce” and “Tragic Events”). Furthermore, I thought that any teacher would appreciate the links to Teacher Planning Resources. I thought the “Policies and Procedures” section is a must-have feature for an “informed community”. If you check out Mr. Harvey II’s blog and personal info, you’ll find he’s quite an impressive person—a published author, a frequent speaker/presenter and an award-winning library specialist – Wow.
What I wondered about: I wondered why the literacy links (read-alouds, book awards and author visits) were listed under Library Media & Technology. I thought they could be under a heading more aptly named...Several links under this heading did not work.
Overall: An easy-to-navigate and engaging site for an elementary school community.
Lord Byng Secondary’s Library Website
First Impressions: I liked the featured student art work forming part of the title “headline” for the Byng Library. However, this sharply contrasts with the immediate message: “Parents-Regarding overdue books. It’s rather alarming to have this message so boldly pronounced right on the main page. As someone who just spent the last weeks of school “hounding and haunting” high schoolers for overdue books – I certainly understand the sentiment. However, I think its positioning on the main webpage sends the wrong “tone”. The kind of tone that conjures images of the “severe & shushing” teacher-librarian... I can’t say I felt further endeared or welcomed by the succeeding questions: “Where is it? Who are the librarians?”...
Deeper glimpses: Oh dear...what can I say? Grumpy comes to mind... After examining the Library Blog for something exciting under Library News, I was completely floored by the following message: “It takes time to track down your overdue books, not to mention the annoyance to your teachers when we interrupt you during class!” And “Leave your food and drink OUTSIDE the library.”
Ever heard of the book A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon? Well, this webpage is a “Bad case of Tone”.
Overall: Yikes! I think I’d be scared to go to the library. (just being honest here...)
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