Who is the target audience of the website? Who will view it?
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There are a number of groups that I hope will find the new Library Learning Commons website a place to visit often.
1. The students. The website will be most useful to them and they are my primary focus. To get them to visit, our landing page has the links to the Destiny on-line catalogue and to other useful information: links to divisional data bases; links to "how to" sites for citations. As well, the landing page will have: library hours, book recommendations, new book lists, and information about what is going on in the library. There will also be links to projects that their teachers are collaborating on. I think these things are all important, but I will run this plan by the students that are helping develop the website to make sure it is a place they will want to visit.
2. The staff. I'd also like the website to provide teachers with information, links, ideas and ways for them to support their students. I'd like to promote the collaborations between the TL and the classroom teachers so that they will be able to see the value of the library in supporting their work with the students. Since I want this to be valuable to the teachers I work with, I will present the ideas for the content of the website at our next department meeting to get feedback that will ultimately help make the website more useful.
3. The administration. The school administration plays a significant role in supporting the library learning commons through staffing and budgetary allotment. The webpage will highlight the success of the library in supporting students in learning and teachers in teaching. The website can provide proof of the dynamic place the library is. Advocating for the LLC in this way is important.The website is a way to promote the value of the library as the learning hub of the school.
4. The parents of our current students. Parents will use the library website. The link to student projects/collaborations on the website can provide information about the inquiry projects their children are working on.
5. The wider community. The website is a public document. It is window into the workings of a part of the school. It is important that it be professional, informative and easy to explore.
6. The elected board members of the school division. The school division and the board have invested significantly in libraries and in teacher-librarians. Improved literacy is one of the divisional goals. The website will promote and foster a culture of reading in the division.
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I realize that the website will always be a work in progress. According to Dian Schaffhasuer in the article, "Will This Website Save Your Library (and Your Librarians)?" "We're always recalculation, recalibrating, reinventing, re-envisioning," (p.40) in order to provide what is required and desired by students and teachers.
Works Cited
Schaffhauser, Dian. "Will this Website Save Your Library (and Your Librarian)? Education Digenst, vol 80, no. 1, Sept. 2014, pp. 37-43. EBSCOhost, ezprozy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspz?direct=true&db=eue&AN=97950287&site=ehotlive&scope=site.
I agree that a LLC website can be useful for many groups connected to the school. I like how you have reflected on the fact that the site will always be a work in progress because like a blog, I recognize that pages with content such as new book lists and app recommendations will need to be updated regularly.
ReplyDeleteYou have really considered all the major stakeholders for your project. I appreciate your final thoughts about your site being a constant work in progress, adapting to fit the needs of your community overtime. Something to consider for your next post is how you will share your site with parents, and community members. You mentioned ways to connect staff and students. Will you link this site to your school’s website? Share the link in school newsletters? You are doing important work and you will want to ensure others know about it!
ReplyDeleteWow! You have many targeted groups here. I say that because I had a big vision myself with my own website and realized over time that all my effort (hours of work updating info) were not paying off as much as I hoped for. However, you might be more creative than me with promoting your website! I am still working on this.
ReplyDeleteYour comment based on “easy to explore” is in my opinion bang on and could be applied to the entire website. Another fact I came to realize!
In regard to the parents, are you thinking about library work/projects only or classroom work as well? Have you thought of linking teachers’ webpage/blog/twitter account (if any)?
I really like that you picked Dian Schaffhasuer’ words to express the work in progress idea. I also believe that recalibrating is the best way to come up with an eventual project that will suit the needs of your school community members but first, we have to start somewhere!
Really looking forward to see your final project Beverly!