Heather Owings
SLM 521 (MD)
October 21, 2003
Elective #4

Contact List
I was surprised by the lack of contact information on these web sites.  Although most are linked to school web pages, it makes it more convenient for users if there is an address listed (both physical and web) like on the Sill Middle School site, along with a telephone numbers for the media center (including an extension number if applicable), and most importantly an email address for the media specialist. This helps the media specialist stay connected with the teachers, students, parents, and community. It also promotes the idea that the library is always there for students.
  
Mission Statement
Often this is found in the Welcome! or introduction at the top of a media web site. A mission statement of purpose helps to define who is the intended audience of the media web site. Goals are important because they define the media centers focus. A high school media center may focus more on research while an elementary school may focus more on reading. By limiting their focus, and creating a mission statement, a school library is basically announcing where their funds are directed. Personally, I think knowing the goals of your students and what the library needs to provide is invaluable when faced with responsibility of building the library's collection. In theory, it should make deciding what resources to purchase easier.

Resource Links
These might include subscription databases or Internet sites that are useful to students and teachers.  I do not think search engines need to be listed, but a site that lists the search engines and what they are useful for (like NoodleTools) would be helpful for student researchers.  Also, I would choose less obvious choices for my resource links and try to present them in a visually pleasing way.  I would not just throw all the links on one page like one media web site that I won't name! ;) In the article from School Library Journal by Sara Ryan entitled "It's Hip to Be Square," she suggests creating links for "local, lower-profile organizations" that students may not have encountered before or that they may not have realized connected to their topic of research. I think this helps students realize that they are part of a community and helps them to get involved with the world around them. Another great idea is to list places that students can volunteer, promoting both community and activism.

Book Reviews by Teens
With titles like Reading Rants and Favorite Teenage Angst Books, young adult book review sites on the web are expanding rapidly and are a excellent source for students who are wondering what to read next. Or set up a student review site where middle schools students submit their reviews of books. It could even tie in with a book contest or an English assignment. A great example of a student review page is here.

Homework Link
It might difficult to update daily, however I think it is a valuable addition to a school web site, especially for parents who want to double check that their student is getting all of his/her homework done. Check out Bolich's homework link. Also great is that any teacher-recommended web site for students pertaining to their schoolwork or current classroom topic could be listed here. And every year, the summer reading lists could be posted for the following school year.

Library Newsletter
This can let parents and students know what activities and events are taking place or what events have been happening in the library. Check out The Patriot newsletter, although it is a school newsletter if you combined pages 1 and 3 you could create your own little library newsletter. And I think it important to post it on the web site as well as handout hard copies because the number of newsletters that get lost in backpacks is staggering! To make it more specific to the library, you can list book fairs, book club activities (some meet for breakfast or lunch in the library), a book wish list that basically begs for donations, plus any new additions to the library collection.  This would also be the perfect place to "book talk" new materials and "toot your own horn" about how great the media center is. It also allows a place for current but maybe not permanent information (like calendar dates) so that you can update just one page instead of the entire site.

Photographs/Graphics
Most media web sites displayed pictures of the media center when it was completely empty! I think the media center looks more promising online if the picture actually shows students using the services, like this picture from the Hartland Middle School in Wisconsin. I  would also include current photographs in the book review section (if it was done by students) and photographs of the book club.  For the new materials list, the book fair list or the wish list, I would add the book covers for color and visual interest (follow this link to Bolich Middle School's excellent example).  But I would not use any fancy Web animation, I would keep the focus on the students and the books; besides which the server probably could not support it.

Last Date Updated
A media web site must be regularly updated.  Not only would this date allow students and parents to see how current the information is, it would be a reminder to me of when it is time to update the site (and it cannot get misplaced like a small calendar or post-it-note can!). And speaking of out-of-date sites, check this out!