Top Public Library Websites
Replies from Web4Lib, PubLib
12/3/07-12/10/07
Please note
that the following posts are unedited except for the added links to the
libraries websites.
Compiled by
Marie Monteagudo
Personal (and
institutional) preferences differ, as do available resources and
needs/priorities of the community.
Among the most impressive for features, functionality, and ordering of the same
-- whether large or small, and with a variety of styles-- are the following,
listed alphabetically:
Anchorage Public Library (AK) http://lexicon.ci.anchorage.ak.us/
Edmonton Public Library (Alberta, Canada) http://www.epl.ca/
Georgia Public Library Service, PINES http://www.georgialibraries.org/public/
Johnson County Library (Overland Park, KS) http://www.jocolibrary.org/
Kansas
City Public Library (Kansas City, MO) http://kclibrary.org/ New York Public Library http://www.nypl.org
Newman Regional Library District (Lincoln
Trails Library System) http://www.newmanregionallibrary.org/view_page.php?page=index
Phoenix Public Library (AZ) http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/
Rochester Public Library (MN) http://www.rochesterpubliclibrary.org/
West Palm Beach Public Library (FL) http://www.wpbpl.com/
Very few of
these would get a gold star for simplicity. Some of them, however, how improved
their simplicity (or appearance, thereof) and usability over the years (NYPL,
for example)!!
Some of these are listed on this supposed "Hall of Fame" page:
http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design#Public
Hope this helps.
Bret Parker, Senior Systems Analyst (MLIS)
Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library
605 N. El Dorado St
Stockton, CA
95202
bret.parker@ci.stockton.ca.us
(209) 937-7148
http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us
If you
haven't got it already, I think KDL is pretty hot.
http://www.kdl.org/
Have you seen
this:
http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design#Public
Cheers,
Allison Brueckner, M.I.S.
Principal, cAliCo Information Consulting
www.calicoinfo.net
Technology Librarian, Dexter District Library
www.dexter.lib.mi.us
Michigan, USA
Phone/fax: 734-426-4066
e-mail: allison.brueckner@comcast.net
I think we
have a great website: www.tamworthlibrary.org
This was NOT
built by staff - we're not that smart.
It was built by Scriblio http://about.scriblio.net/
which is founded by Lichen Rancourt (my daughter) http://remainingrelevant.net/
& Casey Bisson of Plymouth State College http://maisonbisson.com/blog/
Jay
Our library's
website was entirely designed in-house, and continues
to be updated and maintained by our staff. It can be viewed at
www.thrall.org.
I should note that one thing that has helped us immensely
over the
years is that our Internet provider, Warwick Online, gives us all of the
website space for free.
The site is primarily the responsibility of our webmaster,
with
significant assistance from two of our full-time librarians. Many of
our librarians, including me, have section responsibilities to make sure
that links are current; add or delete links; etc.
Hope that this helps.
Kevin J. Gallagher
Director
Middletown Thrall Library____________________________________________________________________________
Two
of my favorites are the Hennepin County PL http://www.hclib.org/
and Charlotte Mecklenburg PL. http://plcmc.org/
I like Hennepin because each branch has its
own web
page with links, etc. The overall page is good too. Charlotte's is
crammed full of useful info but pleasantly so.
Ann Kling
Administrator for City Branches and Community Connections
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
1 Lafayette Sq.
Buffalo, N. Y. 14203
716-858-7128
Klinga@buffalolib.org
Try this
site: www.stls.org/corning,
the Southeast Steuben County Library
website. The library serves a population of 34,000 in six towns. The site
was designed by Brad Turner (me) while he served as an AmeriCorps service
member assigned full time to the library. Obviously, I'm prejudiced.
Note that the home page has randomly rotating feature articles, each with
embedded slideshows depicting an aspect of Library service. The site is also
rich in direct internet-enabled services, such as our IQ links and
subscription resources.
Each information center on the site is easily accessible via multiple links
on the home page and in interior pages. The links appear in a menu bar, via
oversize icons and in the left-hand column.
The site also includes a library young writers group e-magazine, Scattered
Leaves, that is rich in content - about 350 pages printed out. (See link on
main page, left column.)
Another Web resource that is part of the site is The Circulator, an almost
daily library newsmagazine published from Oct. 2005 - July 2007. This
resource is fully archived and accessible at www.TheCirculator.org or
http://www.stls.org/corning/blog/ssclblog.htm
via a link on one of the IQ
Links pages. It continues to be accessed hundreds of times each week, even
though no new articles have been published since my term ended.
- Brad Turner
blturner@stny.rr.com
--_________________________________________________________________
Rachel,
I recently put together of some web pages that I thought were
good for our IT
department. It is by no means comprehensive.
http://www.bellinghampubliclibrary.org/
http://www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org/index.asp
http://www.beverlyhills.org/presence/connect/CoBH/Library
http://www.chulavista.lib.ca.us/
http://www.uplandpl.lib.ca.us/asp/Site/Library/About/General/index.asp
http://www.homewood.lib.al.us/
http://sagharbor.suffolk.lib.ny.us/
http://www.library.ci.santa-clara.ca.us/
http://www.shalerlibrary.org/ein/shaler/index.html
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/
http://www.upper-sandusky.lib.oh.us/
http://www.albertwisnerlibrary.org/
http://www.nassaulibrary.org/glencove/
http://www.westlakelibrary.org/
Cheers,
Loren
Yuba
County Library
|
Mccrory, Loren <LMccrory@co.yuba.ca.us> |
Queens
Library (NYC)
http://www.queenslibrary.org/
Use of screen name!!! (and not library number)
Seattle Public Library
http://www.spl.org
Phoenix Public Library
http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org
Love integration of OPAC with rest of site
Nashville Public Library
http://www.library.nashville.org
Excellent integration of OPAC. Nice calendar. Pretty
site.
Indianapolis Marion County Public Library
http://www.imcpl.org/
Nice layout.
Iowa City Public Library
http://www.icpl.org/
Nice layout, scrolling events & news
Cuyahoga County Public Library
http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/
Good graphic design, nice "What to Read" section.
Multnomah County Library
http://www.multcolib.org/
Clean, simple layout
Lexington Public Library
http://www.lexpublib.org/
Clean, simple graphic design, nice use of images
LEO
-- -------------------
www.leoklein.com
(site)
www.libSite.org
(new)
www.ChicagoLibrarian.com
(blog)
aim/msn/yhoo/goog: 'leorobertklein'