School Library Media Websites

“People expect librarians to present resources in a logical, organized way” says Walter Minkel. As I have evaluated library media websites, I discovered that he is correct. Most people expect a school library media website to have certain features. In my Internet travels I reviewed a number of media center websites. After a lot of travel I have compiled the following list of features that I feel should be included in a good website.

User Friendly – The site should be easy to navigate and changed often. Kids should be able to get anywhere with one or two clicks. The site should be updated on a regular basis. The links should be checked for current information. It can be frustrating going to link that is no longer active.

Link Organization – It is important to answer the question, who will be using the website. The links should be organized based on who will use the website. Student links could be used for homework help or reference. Parent links may be used to explain information such as book borrowing policies or class schedules.

Consistent Structure on Each Page – There should be a navigation bar on each page. It should contain a link back to the home page. The bar should also list all the available links within the site. This will allow easy navigation of the website.

Web Citations – Link annotations should be short and sweet. The title of the link should be the URL. The annotation should be a single sentence. Most people decide to visit a website based on the first few words of the annotation.

Choice of Links – It is important to choose the best links available. Student links should be previewed. The websites chosen should be easy to navigate and kid safe. Reference links sometimes need a password or login, so make sure you provide the information needed to access the website.

Text in Chunks – Any text on the web page should be in brief chunks. It should also contain links to make it easier to search. Your visitors will want to find the information quickly and go on their way.

Great Websites for Your Library Media Center Page.

Research/ Reference

KidsClick! – Web search for kids.

Cybrarian Kids’ – Curriculum site for kids

IPL Kidspace – Internet Public Library kids page

Howard County Library – Vast resources for research

Fun Learning

PBS Kids – Lots of fun reading games

Fun Brain – Math and reading fun

Discovery Kids – Educational adventures

FirstGov for Kids – Lots of fun educational sites

Avis Horowitz

SLM 521 – Spring 2006