Media Center web pages come in a variety of formats and levels of function. The image above is a screen shot of the media center where I work. The most valuable information on the page is the access to online resources. While the information on my school's page is limited, others have many resources for students, teachers, parents, and even the community.
The video below gives a clear overview of the information that would be beneficial to include a school library's web page.
Important Information:
- Hours
- Checkout procedures and policies
- Fines information
- Media personnel contact information
- Terms of Use
School Resources:
- School forms
- Library catalog
Academic Resources:
- Research databases
- Acceptable search engines
- Citation guides
- Reading lists
- SAT/ACT links
- AP testing information
- Public library access
- Teacher specific resources
Technology How Tos:
- Blogs
- Wikis
- Movies
- Presentation platforms
- Multi-media information
- Social networks in the classroom
- iPads in the classroom
Marian,
ReplyDeleteI found this to be a very interesting post. As an English teacher, I've obviously used our library website for research; however, I liked the various ideas that you posted about. I also found the Youtube video to be very informative. After watching the video and reading your blog, I really began to consider my school's library web page. I had never considered having a source for citation on the library's webpage. This makes wonderful sense, and it would be really useful for students when they are at home. Moreover, this would be one lesson or bit of information that I could skip in the classroom.
Another great idea was the library checklist. Our library media specialist actually teaches a lesson each semester over finding worthwhile information; however, by providing a checklist of source reliability and validity on the website, students would be able to do this themselves. One thing that I hope to implement on my own library web page is to have student responses, blogs, or book reviews on the library webpage. I think that this truly creates a sense of ownership for the students, and it also allows the community to have an insight into what students are doing, reading, and participating in while at school or in the library.
Another great idea that I gathered from your blog is to have school forms or recommended readings on the website. So many times, parents and teachers have trouble finding forms or information out. If the library website becomes the hub for all of that information, then the site becomes useful and needed throughout the community and school. The recommended reading site would be an excellent tool for students who have to participate in summer reading for Honors or AP programs.
Overall, I really feel like your post has given me so much to think about. It is a given that most library websites feature the databases or ebooks, but your blog helped me to see a different level in library websites.
I agree that it is a huge disadvantage not to have a webpage in this day and time. Teachers and students need access to information 24/7 and if we can’t provide that to them, they will take their business elsewhere. David Warlick provided some good information about why people use the web. We need to know what our customers use a website for and provide it. The difference is that our customers may be more diverse than those who are polled by others. So, we must continue to listen to our customers and adapt to their needs.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don’t want to become the maintainer for everyone’s information. It takes a lot of time to maintain a website. I have done them in the past and am barely able to keep my page up at school. It is best to find people whom you can train with interests in an area that you need to fill. Enable them to keep that area up so that you can move on to other areas of interest or need.
My sister says her success as a banker was to learn her job and find someone she could train to take her place, so that she could move on to another (hopefully better) position in the business. That is how I hope to work the media center webpage. There are some things that I want and need to maintain (promoting the library, technology how to’s, library use information). However, to keep the media center in the center of information, there will need to be input from many other areas. Some of those areas include: collaboration, sharing student work, school resources, academic resources, curriculum support and instruction. It is best to train teachers and students to assist in the maintaining of those areas so that you can do other things.
So, make a good plan. Develop areas of interest, find someone else who has the same interest, train them to maintain that common part of the site and move on to the next important addition to the website. Will it work? Time will tell. Either it will work or I will adapt until I find a plan that does work.
I love this line from your blog..."Modern school libraries should function as a source of information that is both functional and practical while meeting the needs of its patrons. In order for that to happen, the program must have a web page." A media center can be the center of collaboration or creating a 21st Century Learner if those who need its services do not have access to it 24/7!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THE VIDEO PRESENTATION! What an inventive way to introduce what can be accessed via the website and how to do it. What a great find : )