Palatine library launches new website
After months of research, planning and design, the Palatine Public Library District has a new website.
This week the library launched the redesigned www.palatinelibrary.org to make materials, services and the website itself more easily accessible and visually appealing for patrons.
“We are tremendously enthusiastic about our new site,” Library Director Susan Strunk said. “We hope patrons will appreciate the fresh look and remote access to such an amazing amount of valuable information.”
Features patrons can experience are: direct access to reference librarians from nearly every page (including chat and text reference), enhanced promotion of library events and programming information, embedded music and videos, more intuitive navigation, and distinctively-themed kids and teen pages.
Library patrons can access account information, place holds on materials and access library research databases and electronic resources. The site is also accessible on mobile devices such as iPods and cellular phones.
Technology librarian Susan Conner and assistant director Anthony Auston worked with ServerLogic Corp. to make the ideas and functionality behind the new website a reality.
“The designers at ServerLogic were essential to helping us create a database-driven site with Drupal,” Conner said. Auston agreed, “Their expertise and Drupal’s customizability were instrumental in helping us meet the growing and changing needs of our online community.”
Much like the library’s use of blogs and social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, the site offers a steady stream of interactive content. “One of my favorite new features is the feeds we are offering,” Conner said. “Patrons can subscribe to site and event updates with RSS.”
The new website also showcases the library’s collection of valuable online resources, including access to: My Media Mall downloadable e-books, audiobooks, music and movies; access to full-text magazine and newspaper articles; databases for language learning, reference and reading; and enhanced searching with the library’s Encore catalog.
“We’re excited about the launch of this website because it offers patrons more ways to discover how the library is relevant to them.” said Auston. “There’s greater potential for us to positively impact the lives of those who connect with the library.”
Palatine Public Library District (www.palatinelibrary.org) serves approximately 90,000 residents predominantly within the communities of Palatine and Hoffman Estates. The library’s mission is to encourage lifelong learning and enrichment through the exploration of books and other media and to provide services and materials which will promote a well-informed and literate community.