I recently took some time to review search terms....... something I'm sure everyone is jumping up and down to do! What are search terms, you ask? When you go to the website and put something you're looking for in the search box, that information is captured.
Why, you might ask, is this important? Well, by reviewing one month's worth of data, we hope to come up with better ways and methods to help you find what you are looking for! (Don't worry - no personal information is captured so we have no idea who enters what terms in our site!)
A good example would be searching for "princess" and choosing "the site" to find the Disney Princess books. When I look at the search results, I don't find any......so what are my options? We hope you're asking a staff person for help, but if it's 10:00 at night then chances are you're not....... Another example are the searches for "school reading lists." We have put lots of time and effort into making these available......on the teen website.......so you would not necessarily find these by searching the adult site! Without going into technical detail, the search you perform on the http://www.arapahoelibraries.org/ does not search the teensite or the kidsite. So we need to do what we can with the websites to make them better for you!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Getting articles made easier!
When you are searching within the Ebsco databases, you now have a handy live link that says "Request this item through interlibrary loan." I hope this is not so library-jargon-ridden that it is beyond understanding (but please let me know if you think this is the case!). What the translation might read:
"This database does not have the full-text article you are seeking. If you would like to have the full-text then click on the link, fill out the required relevant information and click submit. Your form will be emailed to the appropriate department who will then obtain the full-text article for you. While it may take a week or two (because we may be requesting from an out-of-state library), we will try to provide this information to you at no charge."
This is just one small improvement in your website experience with http://www.arapahoelibraries.org/. If there are other features you would like/love to see or features now that you absolutely just detest, here's the place to let me know!
"This database does not have the full-text article you are seeking. If you would like to have the full-text then click on the link, fill out the required relevant information and click submit. Your form will be emailed to the appropriate department who will then obtain the full-text article for you. While it may take a week or two (because we may be requesting from an out-of-state library), we will try to provide this information to you at no charge."
This is just one small improvement in your website experience with http://www.arapahoelibraries.org/. If there are other features you would like/love to see or features now that you absolutely just detest, here's the place to let me know!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Of Library Websites
What do you like in websites? What do you particularly like or don't like when visiting library websites?
I recently found a list of renovated library websites and was pursuing them with interest - what new things do they do? How do they portray their catalog? What is different and what are new features?
If you are interested in doing the same, follow this link and then give me your input!
I recently found a list of renovated library websites and was pursuing them with interest - what new things do they do? How do they portray their catalog? What is different and what are new features?
If you are interested in doing the same, follow this link and then give me your input!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Minor Changes To Report
We've made a few tweaks to the home page:
1. the Contact Us button is now higher up for easy access. When you click here, you are taken to a page which consolidates all of the ways you can contact us - phone, email, the contact us form, etc. Hopefully this helps to cut down on the clutter in trying to find this information in different places.
2. the Homework Help button is no longer on the home page. As an electronic service, you can now search the site to find the link from this home page. More appropriately, you can easily find Homework Help in the childrens and teen sites by searching the site.
We are working diligently on our new website design and content management back end. Continue to check the blog for updates as we make progress!
Monday, June 30, 2008
New Feature - No Re-verify
I love cubicle conversations and learn so much from them.....from sharing recipes like sweet potato rolls to learning about new shopping destinations! Besides the fun that comes from office conversations, I just learned that we now offer something called "no re-verify." While very much the internal and technical term, what it means for you and I is that once we enter "my library account," we can then go into the research databases without needing to enter our library card again! We can jump to the catalog and place a hold without needing to enter our library card again (you will be prompted for location pickup).
For me, this is a great feature. I was helping my kids with homework and moving from one database to another. Each time I was prompted to type in my library card number. This will save time (especially when I can't type well in the first place!) and provide greater convenience, too.
Here's hoping you love this new "no re-verify" feature like I do!
For me, this is a great feature. I was helping my kids with homework and moving from one database to another. Each time I was prompted to type in my library card number. This will save time (especially when I can't type well in the first place!) and provide greater convenience, too.
Here's hoping you love this new "no re-verify" feature like I do!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Search, Search, Search
Isn't that what the internet is all about? Search to find tidbits of information, to confirm our plane reservations. In my case it was to win a bet on the dates of the DNC here in Denver next month (okay, so my life isn't quite so animating!). We know you visit the Arapahoe Library District website because the numbers tell us so. But what do you do when you get there? Do you skim the articles on the page? Does your eye go to the Latest @ your library box to see what's new?
It seems that most of you are keying in on the ever so important search box. That tells us this feature needs to not only stay but to possibly be even more prominent on the home page. Some of you do search the site and some of you search for articles, too, from this search box.
Give a holler to let me know what you do when you visit our website!
It seems that most of you are keying in on the ever so important search box. That tells us this feature needs to not only stay but to possibly be even more prominent on the home page. Some of you do search the site and some of you search for articles, too, from this search box.
Give a holler to let me know what you do when you visit our website!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Grids and more grids!
You would think from the title that this blog entry is talking about football...but alas, with summer in full swing my mind is a long way from the cold weather days of football season.
Grids, in this case, refers to the row of books we have at the top of the home page. I hope you enjoy seeing a more graphic appearance of what you would find in the library. To that end we have included a new grid at the bottom of the home page which features titles from our ALD Live collection. What is ALD Live you ask? Here we feature video and audio reviews of our material - take a look and let me know what you think!
Besides adding this grid, you will now find easy access to the latest programs at the library from the home page. On the right you will see Programs & Events box - you can click the title to access the program calendar here or on the left side navigation.
Grids, in this case, refers to the row of books we have at the top of the home page. I hope you enjoy seeing a more graphic appearance of what you would find in the library. To that end we have included a new grid at the bottom of the home page which features titles from our ALD Live collection. What is ALD Live you ask? Here we feature video and audio reviews of our material - take a look and let me know what you think!
Besides adding this grid, you will now find easy access to the latest programs at the library from the home page. On the right you will see Programs & Events box - you can click the title to access the program calendar here or on the left side navigation.
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