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Forwarded with permission of the author. Please contact me, and not Pam, with questions. :-) Laurie -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pam Cooper Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 9:05 AM To: Librarians Serving Genealogists Subject: [Genealib] Library Web Sites Today I am a critic. <g> I have been writing a chapter for a book on Florida collections. I have visited many library web sites. I am embarrassed to say that for some reason, librarians do not know what is needed and should be required on every web page. A full address would be nice. Some had no zip code. Some had no street address, just a P.O. Box. A map or directions would be nice too. Telephone number. Wow, what a concept! Some had none and some had no area code. Email addresses to each department. None at all. Or, buried somewhere in the deep dark caverns of a web page that no one would think to visit. Are we saying, "don't bother us?" Hours open. What, we have to be open during the week? All department links should be on the front page. If I have to dig 3-5 levels just to find information on a department in the library, I would much rather go to the library. Oh, maybe that IS the idea!! ALL of the above should and must be on the FIRST page of your web site. Libraries like to increase their stats, right??? My final complaint -- how come special collections are not mentioned? Some do not even tell you if they have a children's department? You CAN and WILL increase you stats if you let people know what you have!!! I have found from the large libraries down to the smallest, outdated information or no mention at all of a special collection. For example, if you have a department that has over 20,000 books on Florida, why would there NOT be a description of it? Are we still hiding our materials like the monks in "The Name of the Rose?" <g> I thought the idea was to get folks to come to our libraries!! I needed to dump my frustration on you in hopes that you will take the time to review your web pages again and please change and update them. Why have them in first place if the information is not correct or informative? Five years ago this would not be an issue, but today it is our job to keep our web sites current and up-to-date. Thanks for letting me rant and rave. Pam Pamela J. Cooper, Supervisor Indian River County Main Library Florida History & Genealogy Department 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960 772-770-5060, Fax 772-770-5066 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ genealib mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/mailman/listinfo/genealib
