Simon Chamberlain’s library weblog

Web design on a dime - Sarah Houghton-Jan’s presentation from Internet Librarian. Too much to quote here, but talks about what your users expect, and how the library’s website needs to be treated like it is its own branch of the library. It includes a lot of suggestions of new services to implement, and gives plenty of examples: podcasting, videocasting, tools and mashups (Library Elf, LibX toolbar), improving the catalogue (or using an overlay like AquaBrowser or LibraryThing for Libraries or OCLC Local).

I found the suggestions about databases interesting: “focus on the what”, “don’t use the word database”, emphasise free, market market market!

Sarah also provides a HUGE list of free e-book sites, and finishes up with some neat-looking web design tools - all free.

I knew most of the first half of this presentation, but it will still be useful evidence if I want to promote any of these ideas. The second half, especially the web design tools, was mostly new to me. I’m sure I’ll be coming back to this presentation in the future. Thanks, Sarah!