TARGET: School Media Center Web Page Design Features

[Randall MacDonald <randall@SUNLINE.TBLC.LIB.FL.US>]

Greetings fellow LM_NETters,

I am presently preparing an article manuscript on web page design
considerations for media center web pages/sites. Through my own
observations of many such sites I have developed a sense of what typical
pages include, but am interested in corresponding with media specialists
directly to determine what you look for in a useful media center page -
either as designer or user.

I plan to mention aesthetic and functional concerns, together with
content - original local information and links to remote sites. Which are
most important to you and your students? A few questions floating about
as I have been working on this ...

If you have created a page, have you established your own design
guidelines, or must your page conform to a local standard in appearance?
Is the page the product of a "committee of one" or a group of fellow
educators, parents, and students?

  Do you select links to remote sites based on your own professional
  judgement, or according to a district or school-wide policy?

  If students helped create your pages, are they given responsibility to
  independently select material appropriate for the page?

  How important are graphics?

What role does instruction play in the design and presentation of your
media center home page? Do you include links to support specific media
center or classroom activities, or more for general information?

As a user, are you attracted to other media center pages for any of
these reasons?

I appreciate any feedback. Have a good weekend,

Randall M.
Lakeland, FL
randall@sunline.tblc.lib.fl.us