Library Websites

I looked at the library website for the school I worked at in McMinnville, OR before moving to Japan. You can check it out! Sue Buel Elem. Library. This website is a part of the school's website. It had some basic information, but was not as in depth as our readings described.

I would like to include these items when creating a library website:

1. Links to school databases - I think this is really important so that students have easy access to online resources.

2. Links to other resources - The library page I looked at included links for parents about helping students read. I like the idea of including resources like that as well as links for students and teachers. It could be a great place to keep popular links that teachers use for classes as well.

3. Accessibility tools - While many people with disabilities will have tools built into their own computers if students are using the computers at school they may not have access to their regular tools. I think it is important to provide links and access for all students. This includes making sure that fonts can be changed, colors can be changed, and items can be read aloud. This can also help young students who are not yet proficient readers.

4. Basic School Information - There are a lot of schools and websites out there. I want to include basic information to help make sure patrons know that they are in the right spot. Some basics would include full name of the school, names and photos of important library and school staff members, contact information, calendar, and library policies.

5. Current Events/Student Work - It is important to publicize what is going on in the library. The more ways the information is out there the more people will have access to it and be able to participate. It will be very important to include details about special events and activities that are going on in the library. Providing a space for students to share work (names would have to be removed) is also very important. This provides students with a reason for doing their work as well as an intended audience. It also allows parents and other staff members to see what students are creating. I created a summer website for my class last year. Towards the end of the year the students all completed a book recommendation computer project which I was able to add to the class website. The students could then visit the site to get book recommendations and parents could see their student's work. I had to take off names, but their work was easy to find as it was organized by their book's title. Parents just had to know which book their child recommended. You can visit that site (which is now outdated) if you'd like.