Last week we read an interesting article, After Losing Users in Catalogs, Libraries Find Better Search Software, by Mark Parry. Parry gets right to the point fairly quickly: “The problem is that traditional online library catalogs don’t tend to order search results by ranked relevance, and they can befuddle users with clunky interfaces.”

In other words, library users want the ease of Google when they’re searching for materials in their library’s catalog.

We also heard guest lecturers discuss the pros and cons of modern cataloging systems. Bob, who probably remembers the old system, too, felt that a library’s catalog “should be a serious scholarly tool.”

Jason, on the other hand, felt that libraries “have failed to create a tool” that allows a patron to quickly get what he or she needs. “The onus is on the libraries and catalog vendors to develop easier tools,” he said, “or should we start earlier teaching students how to do serious research?”

They also discussed the merits and limitations of open source ILS, which some libraries are using or would like to use.

At the prison library where I work, we use the GLAS system by EOSI. Unfortunately, it’s not web-based and trouble shooting includes long phone calls with EOSI’s tech people, who probably think we librarians (or at least this one) are blithering idiots.

Prior to the prison library, I had about six years of experience using Follett’s ILS, which I prefer, because it is much more integrated and easier to use; for example, GLAS requires that once catalog records are added, they must be processed so they will show up in the circulation program and the OPAC (online public access catalog). The same goes for overdue reports: the reports must be processed before the overdue shows up in circulation or before overdue notices can be printed out. Statistics are the same; with Follett, I could go in any time and retrieve stats from the previous year or farther back, or an individual month. With GLAS, we have to process the statistics, and once the report has run, we have to reset the program so that it will “dump” the old records and start keeping track of the new stats.

EOSI does have web-based ILS; however, having prisoners anywhere near the internet has been verboten. But, the diligence of some of the regional librarians, they were able to get a team of tech people together to subject the web-based system to scrutiny to make sure inmates can’t get out on the internet through the program, and it passed! We correctional librarians are ecstatic because the new system will be much more modern, will run faster and be easier to navigate. Best of all, the EOSI people will be hosting the server and will be able to go in and fix most problems instead of trying to explain what to do to us.

Some of the libraries have had their own servers, but the rest of us have our GLAS hosted by a server at headquarters, which has caused its own set of problems. We are really looking forward to be able to use EOS Web Express. This is a huge, huge jump for us.

We can hardly wait to demonstrate the new system to our inmate patrons, because we try to teach them what libraries “on the outside” are like, and encourage them to visit their local libraries when they get out, but our current card catalog is just a few steps up from the old card system, and we worry when they are released the newer ILS that most libraries have will be very different from what they’ve been using in the prison libraries. I think even Bob would agree that our current system is way outdated!

I think many libraries will look more toward open source software, although it probably will never “fly” in prison libraries. One of the gentlemen from the lecture mentioned “Scriblio,” which he said runs on top of WordPress, and each catalog record gets pulled into the WordPress database. I’d really like to see that in action, as it sounds very intriguing. LIke Jason, I think that there will continue to be “great opportunities” for libraries, their staffs, and their patrons, “to do interesting and creative things.”

I don't really understand electricity, either!

Okay, gray matter….stretch yourself! I can say I’d heard of proxy servers prior to taking this class, but I don’t think I’d dealt with link resolvers.

I checked with our tech guru who keeps the Colorado Correctional Libraries Intranet up and running, but she told me she didn’t use either.

I think I’ve mentioned I don’t live in what would be called, by any stretch of the imagination, an urban area. So…there aren’t too many large public libraries or university libraries in this here neck of the woods. Or, perhaps I should say plains. It’s not real woodsy around here.

I did, however, consult with a colleague who is the library director at a community college about 20 miles down the highway. She isn’t using a proxy server right now, but here’s what she told me: 

Yes, I have worked with a proxy server in the past.  A proxy server/service is merely a computer that authenticates users and then allows them if they authenticate properly, to pass into a proprietary service such as a database.  This could be something run off of your local server or it can be a service that you purchase from another vendor.  Generally any tech person who runs a local server is able to install this software and set it up.  The great thing about this type of service is that you do not have to maintain a list of patrons or edit on the backend to allow folks in.

 It works like this: 

1. patron clicks on link to look for an article. 
2. They are asked for a username/password (typically)
3. If they enter the correct info, they are passed onto the database
4. The database recognizes the URL they are coming from and allows them into the database
5. The patron is able to complete their search and logs out.

 I have not worked much with a URL Resolver, but the concept there is that the resolver software goes through the webpage or library catalog and tries each 856 or http: link listed and if it encounters a 404 Error, then a report is sent back to you noting there was an issue with that weblink/webpage.  Consequently, you can go in and just fix those that don’t connect properly.  It’s a real time-saver in that you don’t have to go through each and every active link trying them to see which ones don’t work.

 Both, in my opinion, allow us to do the necessary parts of our jobs which is providing services to patrons without having to manually maintain them all the time.

 Me again. Okay, so when I log onto ESU’s Blackboard and visit the online library, all I need to do is give my username and password, and Viola! I can get into any of the databases that the library subscribes to, all from the comfort of my home.

Many of  the public and school libraries in this area have an EBSCO database subscription that they can access from home by logging in with a username and password (the same one for everybody), so when the proxy server encounters that username/password combination, it lets the connection through because it has previously been given the “okay” that it can be trusted, even though it’s not coming directly from the library.

The Link Resolver is a bit more difficult for me to understand. Basically, I think that this special software will search a website (say, the local public library’s) and try each link that is listed. If an error comes back and the software isn’t able to access the link, it then informs the librarian that there is a problem with that link. Sounds good to me. I can’t imagine having an employee periodically check each and every link on a website. That could be extremely time- consuming and not a very efficient use of time.

From what our instructor posted, I think link resolvers also can be used to attach some sort of information to a web address, such as the location of a book. I am wondering if this is how WorldCat works? A searcher can look for a specific book on WorldCat and be taken to the record for that book in a specific library’s website.

Then again, I could be totally wrong!

Social networking of a different ilk

Until this past summer, I hadn’t had much experience with social networking. I signed up for Facebook so that I wouldn’t lose track of my SLIM cohort group. In the process, I reconnected with a couple of old friends.

I find Facebook a bit weird. Some people can’t seem to go through a few hours without logging something. The weirdest, though, is getting all these comments responding to my Facebook friends’ posts. These are people I don’t know, and I just find it a bit disconcerting. However, I’ve found I can keep better track of my daughter–or at least see what strange quizzes she’s been taking!

It can get addicting, so I try not to check it more than a couple of times a week. Between personal email, school email, checking Blackboard for class information, and work email, I’m already on the computer enough hours of the day. In fact, I write this from my in-laws’ home in Lawrence, KS, as we journey back to Colorado. Getting online is addictive, and I’m not sure I always like it.

But, assignments call to be completed, so here I am.

One of the questions our instructor asked was if my organization uses social networking. The answer is no. I work in a prison library, and the prisoners themselves are not allowed to get on the internet for security reasons. It is also against regulations for staff to use computers for personal business or pleasure. I do subscribe to a library list serve for Colorado librarians, and the Colorado correctional libraries have an intranet that prison librarians are encouraged to use.

The public library that I previously worked at does not use social networking, although patrons come into the library to use the internet for social networking (especially teens). Unfortunately, the library doesn’t even have a webpage, something I worked hard at getting but did not succeed before leaving.

I was particularly interested in the articel by Malcom Gladwell (http://www.gladwell.com/1999/1999_01-11_a_weisberg.htm). It’s ten years old, but it has a lot to say about how people are connected (not just by the interent). He opines that weak ties are usually more important than strong ones, and he gives several examples that illustrate his point.

I think libraries should probably be on Facebook, but I think it’s important that they consider the people aspect ahead of the technology aspect, as several writers have discussed. We need to stop jumping on the latest technological bandwagon just because it’s the latest in technology and think about how having it, or not having it, will affect the people involved.

There was an interesting article posted on a Colorado librarians’ listserve last week that addresses this very issue, along with some others. The title alone is intriguing: The Top Ten Things Library Administrators Should Know About Technology. Written by Roy Tenant, it can be found here: http://techessence.info/topten

I’d recommend it for all librarians, especially those who don’t have a lot of background in using technology. It might help you and your IT people get along better, as well as give you some insights into their world.

Look at a project from all angles

As I read through this week’s information and listened to the lecture on project management, at first I didn’t think I had been involved in any projects involving technology. Then I had one of those “V-8” moments and recalled that, in 2006, when I was director of our local public library, I applied for a Library Services and Technology (LSTA) grant, which was administered through the Colorado Department of Education/State Library.

Background

When I started working at the library the year before, there were four public-access/internet computers. Except for the lone computer obtained through a Gates grant, these machines were cobbled together with very few components matching. Getting onto the internet, because of the age of the machines, was frustrating, and once on, often the machines would freeze, requiring a re-boot, and the whole aggravating process started again. There were often people waiting to access a computer, not necessarily just to use the internet, but also to use other computer features, such as word processing.

The library is situated in a rural area, and was the only place with public-access computers. Many people did not own their own computers and would come into the library to use computers for school work, job hunting, personal business, or pleasure (such as online dating and e-mailing). Although the high school had computers for student use, the high school library was not open in the evening or weekends.

In addition, the community is composed of a large Hispanic population. The library had previously received an LSTA grant which provided 450 Spanish-language materials. However, these materials had gone virtually unused, with 11 being checked out the first year and 40 the next. In mid-2005 there was a complete staff turnover. It is believed that the previous staff did little to encourage the large Spanish-speaking population to take advantage of those materials. In fact, an update to a computer received from a Gates grant, which includes a Spanish user profile, was never installed on the computer.

Putting a grant together

 I spent several days going over demographics, dealing with statistics such as: There were 4,932 residents in school district boundaries (which mirrors the library district boundaries). The information came from the Las Animas RE-1 School District. In the fall of 2005, there were 591 students in the school district, including 263 Hispanics (45 per cent of the population) and 326 Caucasian. This information was from the Colorado Department of Education.

I also consulted the Technology section of Colorado Public Library Standards 2005 for guidelines on what was considered essential and enhanced standards. One of the essential standards was: “Library provides a sufficient number of work stations to accommodate patron demand with minimal wait times.”

I interpreted a chart in the Standards thusly: “Per population served (2,500-4,999) the Las Animas-Bent County Library, with a population of 4,932 within its district boundaries, should have 0.8104 computers per 1,000 served. We currently have four public-access/Internet access computers. 4 ÷ (4,932 ÷ 1,000) = 4 ÷ 4.932 = .81, which isn’t in the essential level (1.0960) for that population group. The LA-BC Library would need to have 5.4 computers (1.0960 x 4.932 = 5.40). For the Enhanced Level (1.8811, the library would need 9.28 computers (1.8811 x 4.932 = 9.28).

After checking with a local computer firm as to the cost of computers, and a local office-supply store on the cost of computer tables and chairs, I decided to ask for 10 new computers; one would become the local server; one would be used at the circulation desk; one would be used in the director’s office; and seven would be used for public-access, including adding computers in the children’s section and the YA section, neither of which, at that time, had computers. One would also be placed in the genealogy room to be used in conjunction with a new microfilm reader; information from the reader could be transferred to the computer and could then be edited and/or emailed.

I took all of the information and the “skeleton” of the grant to a woman at a nearby community college, who had been hired to help non-profit organizations in the area become more successful with grant writing. She sliced and diced, and we cussed and discussed and came up with a document that was much more polished than what I had shown up with. We focused on the community needs of computer access, with a special emphasis on enhancing services to the Hispanic population. I then typed it all up, made the necessary copies, and shipped it off to the state library. In a nutshell, we asked for $12,588 to purchase the computers, furniture, and some software.

I thought it was a fairly noble effort for my first real attempt at grant writing. Of course I couldn’t have done it without Teri (the woman at the college). I expected that I would consider it as good experience; of course I hoped it would be accepted, but deep down I didn’t think it would be.

Unexpected outcome

Much to my surprise, several weeks later I received a call from the grants coordinator at the state library. She told that not only had they accepted the grant; they were giving us about $7,000 more so that we could buy more computers and furniture! We ended up with 13 new computers, 10 of which would be used by the public.

Then more planning began: I ordered the computers, furniture and software. As I recall, the computers arrived first, so we had to store the public ones until the new furniture arrived. The computer tech from the computer store set up the new server and the two staff computers.

Putting it all in place

When we got the word as to when it would be delivered, we decided to close the library that day, in the interest of safety and efficiency. As I recall, the furniture-delivery people started setting it up, with the computer tech working behind them, getting the computers in place.

Today the computers are constantly busy, so much so that the library has had to institute a one-hour limit on usage. However, the challenge of attracting the Hispanic population still exists.

Reflection

What would I have done differently? I would have started to write the grant earlier, and work with the woman at the college sooner. I knew that as soon as I finished it!

 Having listened to the interview with the project manager that our instructor posted, I should have done better at defining the scope of the project, although looking back I think I actually (with a lot of dumb luck) did okay with that. Fortunately I had help from professionals—not just in writing the grant—but also in getting the furniture and computers up and running with little disruption in service.

Once I knew we had the grant, I got in touch with my contacts at the office supply store and computer store, and got everything ordered. Since we received more funds than originally requested, we did some tweaking as to what specifically we would do with the extra money.

 Then it was a case of sitting and waiting for everything to come in; during this time my assistant and I made firmer decisions as to where the new items would be placed. I also wrote an article for the local paper so the community would know about our good fortune.

As I recall, communication was fairly good at this time; I kept in touch with both stores as to when delivery would be and kept the library board apprised as well.

The project, amazingly enough, was completed on time. The people delivering the furniture did a great job in setting it up, as did the computer tech with the computers. Problems were minor—such as the woman who was angry that the library was closed while everything was set up (we had signs on the window about the closure as soon as we knew when it was going to happen, but some people don’t choose to read signs).

We hosted an open house after we got everything up and going. The Friends of the Library provided refreshments. I was disappointed that more people didn’t come, but those that did were very supportive.

In short, I probably would never be able to do this again. It was a combination of dumb luck and good workers. In other words, either appoint or consult a project manager before doing anything like this!

“Warriors of the Net” is an animated look at how the internet works. It’s in two parts, and it can be found on youtube. For some strange reason, it reminded me of films I saw in a long-ago elementary classroom that showed how something-or-the-other worked, such as, say, an assembly line.

At any rate, “Warriors” did help me understand a bit better how the internet works. Looks kinda like a giant pinball machine.  Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLOnSLKxOo for part one and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8bacle2LbY&feature=related for part two.

Now, can you tell me, “How do all those people get inside my TV?” Ah, technology; it’s there whether we think about it or not.

What else have I learned with this week’s assignment? Well, thanks to our instructor’s posted lecture, quite a bit. Let’s see: the IP address of a computer translates to its domain name, via something called a DNS server, which keeps lists of what domain is linked to which IP address.

Domain names have segments—usually just three—which the software interprets segment by segment, asking DNS servers for direction to the next server. Now I start to get confused…there are root servers, and then servers for each level domain until it gets to the domain. Ahhh…my brain is trying to take this in. Back to the “Warriors”…ah, what a difference a visual makes!

I wonder how many times I have said “URL” without realizing it stands for Uniform Resource Locater? Long term for what’s basically an address, but an address with a bunch of pieces. One of those pieces is hypertext transfer protocol (http), which is what most web traffic is. If the traffic is confidential, though (like credit card information), then there’s an “s” added to http, which stands for “secure.”

Server names refer to the server or domain you’re trying to get to, such as, www.whitehouse.

Then there are the top level domain names, those three letter combinations that come after the “dot” (which some of us still refer to as, archaically, the period): .edu, .gov, .com, .org. I didn’t know there were specific rules that say who can use which kind, but there are. (Incidentally, try the above address with different “top level domain names” and see what you get. If nothing else, it will show you how important it is to get the URL completely correct).

Next come the file path names. You see them all the time; you just don’t know what they’re called. They’re the directories, or paths, to specific locations. You can tell what they are because of this: /, better known as the backslash, that separates each location.

The last new information I learned about is something called pinging. Our instructor explains that the term actually comes from submarine lingo. Submariners know how to send a sound out into the water and listen for it to bounce off of something so they can calculate how far away the something is.

You can actually ping a website. To see how it works, you need to get into DOS (it’s been a LONG time since I’ve done that!). Here’s how our instructor told us how to do it:

1. Go to start, then Run, then type “cmd” That will bring that DOS window up (white letters on black background).
2. Type this in: ping www.yahoo.com
3. That should bring up a response that has a whole lot of numbers and times. Kinda cool, huh? Mine went to something called “lightcore.net”! 

A little bit more complex is something called a traceroute. Yes, that’s right. Sort of like tracing a package. It will show you all the places (networks) it goes before it gets to you. Here’s how to do it: Start, run, then type “cmd” Then type: tracert www.yahoo.com (or a website of your choice).

See, we’re still afloat! And the water is fine!

How would you analyze this website?

As we get more into the “meat” of information architecture, I continue to be intrigued by all of its facets; I find myself picking apart websites. The PowerPoint from the instructor and the chapter readings helped me understand why I.A. is so important.

I’m not sure why I couldn’t see a full screen of the lecture when we used Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro; I tried all suggestions to increase the size but nothing worked. I found myself squinting at an area about a fourth the size of my laptop screen. I’m glad the instructor posted the PowerPoint separately.

I decided to use a critical eye to analyze the website of a random state agency, that shall remain nameless. On first look, I thought the site was simply laid out, but easy enough to navigate through.

If you’re looking for a job, you can click on “Employment” just under the banner, although your eye will probably take you to the fairly large button-looking thing that says “Now Hiring.” But clicking on the button doesn’t do anything; you will need to click on one of the hyperlinks below the button: “Job Openings” or “Applying for a Job.” But there’s more: a caption that says “Working for Us,” under which you’ll find these hyperlinks: “Working for us,” “Training programs,” and “New Employees.”

As I began to dissect the site, I started finding some more issues. One was that although there is a banner at the top of the page that displays choices as you mouse over them, when you actually click on one, you’ll usually get a message that there is a certificate error. That’s frustrating, because you have to click on “go there anyway” to get to where you want to go, and then it’s hard to get back to where you started.

Also, should you want to investigate some other choices, which are just below the banner, it is hard to click on those names without activating the mouse over function, which then obscures what you’re trying to see.

There’s not a search box, nor site index. There is a “FAQ” which again, is under that pesky banner. I find it a tad odd that along with questions you’d expect, including information about jobs, there’s one called, “How do I get into my email at home?” I’m not certain that an employee would wander there, but I could be wrong.

You can find definitions—pages upon pages, should you be that concerned with what means what; one of the other disconcerting things is that the middle of the main page contains “News,” but most of that information is several months old; the most recent was written in May. The real kicker, though, is if you click on “News’ at the top (under that silly banner again), you’ll be taken to a page that gives 2007 news releases.

The site could probably use a dose of good old I.A….just like so many more websites out there, that I will now scrutinize much more closely and blame my navigation frustrations on the lack of good I.A., rather than on my lack of “tech savy.”

Each part contributes to the whole

I’ve realized, with a prod from our instructor (thank you, Jameson!), that I’ve spent too much time worrying about how this blog looks and not enough time writing about what I’m learning in class. I am so used to using Blackboard for course discussions that I forgot that this class has a different requirement. This is supposed to be a learning journal, and we are asked to post our thoughts on what we’ve learned from readings and lectures.

This post will discuss what should have been my first post; my reaction/comments/ideas after reading the first two chapters of our course’s text: Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, by Peter Morville and Louis Rosenfeld.

I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a techie. I can find my way around a computer and most programs; I sit in front of the computer a large amount of time, both at work and at home. I am fairly decent at finding information on the web. I do get frustrated, mostly when I can’t find information that I feel should be easy to find, either by using a search engine or once I get into a website. Some websites must have been designed by people who don’t ever step away from their computer and walk outside!

I have appreciated good information architecture without even realizing what it means! I feel that the authors did a great job of defining what information architecture is and how it is practiced. I liked that they started out talking about the architecture of buildings. I felt it really helped my understanding of information architecture:

            “Each building serves its purpose uniquely. Architecture, design, construction, furnishing,   inhabitants, and   location all play major roles in shaping the overall experience. All elements must work together. In successful buildings, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”  (p. 3)

The discussion immediately made me start to think about buildings and what goes into them. It was then easier for me to make the jump to what information architecture is:

            “Some web sites provide logical structures that help us find answers and complete tasks. Others lack any intelligible organization and frustrate our attempts to navigate through them. We can’t find the product we need; we can’t locate the report we found last week; we’re lost inside an online shopping cart. These web sites remind us of buildings that fail: houses with roofs that leak, kitchens with no counter space, office towers with windows you can’t open, and mazelike airports with misleading signs.” (pp. 3-4)

Now, that has some relevance for me! I’ve been thinking it was just my lack of computer savvy that was the root of my navigation issues; now I see that part of it could be that the websites I have trouble with are because they weren’t designed with the user in mind.

In the second chapter, the authors discuss the practice of information architecture. Good information architecture, they say, is an “information ecology” illustrated by the interlinked circles of content, context, and users.

It is those three areas that information architects should be concerned with: “…when asked what are the most important qualities the information architect should have, the answer becomes quite simple: some knowledge of users and their needs (which might come from exposure to human-computer interaction and a variety of other fields), content (think technical communication and journalism), and context (read a book on organizational psychology). (p. 25)

So, it might be safe to say that information architects are the Leonardo DaVincis of the 21^st century! Good information architects are definitely unsung heroes. As I work my way through the text, I find that I am stopping and looking at websites now with an eye to their information architecture.

I work in a prison library. Because of security reasons, the prisoners are not allowed to access the internet. So, we must look up information for them. The easier and quicker we can find information, the more time we have for all of our other duties.

I also wonder about the prisoners who will be getting out soon; we tell them to go to their public libraries to find information and use the computers; if they have been “inside” for very long at all, they will be extremely frustrated trying to navigate through some websites. I now look at websites with them in mind as well.

I’m a fairly decent writer, but my first attempts on this blog were very embarrassing. I’m not sure why, but any time I’ve tried a new aspect of technology, I tend to write extremely casually. It might have to do with my being nervous, or it might be that I’m scared that I’m going to lose everything I’ve written, so I write quickly without much thought to what I’m actually creating.

The textbook for my class, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, has helped some because it is written in a way that makes the subject fairly easy to understand. But I must say that WordPress for Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson is what has made the real difference for me. Highlighter and Sticky Notes  in hand, I have perused the first few chapters of Sabin-Wilson’s tome, and then I’ve sat with the book in my lap as I have taken my blog from the generic to something that has my signature on it.

I’m not sure how many themes I tried before I settled on MistyLook. I wanted something that had a fairly clean typeface, relatively large, with a not too-complex layout. I tried PressRow, Ocean Mist and Fjords04, but then picked Inove. However, I switched to MistyLook when I realized I could change the header to one of my own photos.

I even went back and edited each post so that they sound as though there was some thought behind them.

I realize that many of my fellow students probably have much more experience with blogging than I do, but now, thanks to Sabin-Wilson’s book, I feel that my blog is much improved from how it was at its inception, which was just a few weeks ago.

I found the following article to be extremely interesting. Basically, the reporter, Ryan Blethan, talks about the difference between [good] journalists and [some] bloggers, and the issue of freedom of speech… [good] journalists take seriously “the power we wield through our publications,” and  they spend “an inordinate amount of time” trying to decide “what to write and how to write it. This contemplating and discussing encompasses everything from topics, to word choice, to what is appropriate to be spun off the press.”

Blethen, is concerned–and I think rightly so–that some bloggers don’t understand the difference between fact and opinion, and that they have the right to say exactly what they think and use whatever words they choose to say it. I will insert here that some journalists also seem to feel that way.

Blethen says, “Journalists have the right to write pointed critiques or damaging stories. This is never done lightly and must be backed up with fact. What we do can alter somebody’s life for the better or worse. Almost every professional journalist is careful not to abuse this right of free speech.

“There is nothing wrong with pushing the limits of the First Amendment, but there is a line where free speech can go too far and real damage is done. Bloggers are writing past this line and finding themselves in trouble.”

He goes on to cite some instances where bloggers have indeed, caused problems for others and have also gotten themselves into hot water.

I think it’s very important that anyone who writes publicly–and that, of course, includes bloggers–understand what libel means, and also stops and thinks before hitting “submit.”

Freedom of speech is important, and it’s important enough that we treat it reverently, not lightly. Here’s the link to the article:

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/08/30/editorial/doc4a99bcc900795718986990.txt

I always love those serendipitous moments when I come across an article that directly relates to something I’m studying. The article says the new website is “more dynamic” than the old one: “…(the) new look mirrors the changes recently made to the university’s admissions and recruitment materials, as well as the addition of a new online recruitment site.”

 According to the article, a committee researched the content and functionality that the university wanted in the site, and students, faculty, staff, and the public were consulted as to what they wanted to see in the new site.

The article also highlighted some of the site’s features, including, “An intelligent navigation system that can identify the user as a student, faculty/staff member or parent, then rebuild the navigation to help the user find pages relevant to them.”

Also, there are interactive calendars and news modules that can be customized for each department, with separate news for students and faculty. To me, this is one of the best features: events on the calendar are automatically removed when the event has occurred. I hate looking at a calendar that lists old events!

I wonder what Morville and Rosenfeld would have to say about the site? You can go to the site: www.colostate-pueblo.edu and see what you think.