Sunday, January 20, 2008

New look for the Proctor Library web pages

As the spring semester has now started up, students and faculty will notice a change in our Proctor Library web pages, beginning with the home page (http://www.flagler.edu/library ). We felt very good about our previous web pages, but as with anything there is always room for improvement. For example, we had built in some intentional duplication when the web pages were redesigned a couple years back, but we realized during several semesters of use that this duplication could sometimes be confusing and needed to be part of a change.

Reference & Instruction Librarian Blake Pridgen took on the responsibility of reviewing redesigning the pages, and he succeeded in launching the new set of pages January 7.
Blake took a hard look at our pages, undertook some investigation and study of other academic library web pages and library web page design in general, and he reworked our pages to make them even better to use. One will notice from the new design that many of the elements of the previous pages were retained, but Blake adjusted the look with the thought of making everything even easier. He added some new items as well. Now in the “Find Information” column on the home page, one can initiate a search specifically for “DVDs. CDs and VHSs” as easily as searching for books. And in the far right column one can check lists of both new book and video additions to the Library. And, of course, a link to this “Library Director’s Blog,” plus a link to Polaris, the Library’s research tutorial, also appear in that same column. Directly under the banner on the top of the home page, one will also find quick direct links to the heavily used College tools: “Flagler Home,” “Flagler Email,” “My.Flagler.Edu,” and “WebCT.”

Our set of Proctor Library web pages will always be considered a “work in progress,” and we will always be looking for improvements, so I hope any one who has ideas for improvements or adjustments to our existing pages will feel free to get in touch with the Library, or even directly with Blake. We will appreciate the help.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Seeing the Proctor Library in a Different Light

The normal bright lights in the Library were dimmed slightly following normal closing time on December 18, and the Library’s first floor was transformed from its normal role as a learning center into a venue for a wonderful holiday celebration.

The celebration was organized by the College’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness to honor those friends of the College who have supported the College and Library over the years, especially those donors who have recently made special gifts as a part of the current campaign celebrating the Proctor Library on its “Decade of Excellence.”

Attendees at the celebration were greeted upon arrival with a beautiful five foot tall flower arrangement occupying the center point on the Library’s marble entryway floor.

It also didn’t hurt that the same table supporting the arrangement also supported an inviting variety of dessert creations. We obviously suspended our normal prohibition against consumption of food in the Library…and everyone was certainly glad we did.

In addition, very creative and substantial hors d'oeuvres were prepared and served by an exceptional caterer and her team, and they were enjoyed by all. The whole affair was a wonderful way to celebrate both the holidays and the work of the Library. Many of the benefactors and other guests had their first real opportunity to visit and see the Library, and the Library staff had a chance to meet these people who care so much for Flagler College.
Library staffers Brian Nesselrode, Katherine Owens and Christine Wysocki

All of us clearly appreciate the initiative and work of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness in putting this celebration together. We also appreciate Library staffer Catherine Norwood for capturing the images of the celebration.

Monday, January 7, 2008

New Year’s Resolution met – at last

Well it is now January 7, 2008 so I am already late in meeting my New Year’s Resolution to post my blog more frequently and regularly than my postings (only 3 blogs) during the fall semester.

Actually I am still excited about how well things went in the Library during the fall semester. The Library continued to be a busy place through the semester with our gate count often recording 300 to 400 additional entries over last year’s average of about 2,464 entries per day. And a couple days (6 to be exact) the count went over the 3,100 mark.

Several days we also noted there were times when every one of the public computers on the first floor of the Library was in use, and we saw students “cruising” looking for a computer to become available. It reminded me of a shopping center parking lot during the holidays. We obviously will need to seriously consider adding some additional public computers on the first floor. Even the availability of WiFi and the increased use of laptops has not reduced the need for the public computers.

It is really wonderful to see the Library used as heavily as it has been during the fall semester, and the end of the semester completion of project and preparation for exams really made the Library a place where students felt comfortable gathering in group study and collaboration. It was another great semester.We're looking forward to a similarly great semester in the spring.