The John B Coleman Library Web site will undergo massive changes beginning Feb. 14 to enable students to get easier access to the library’s resources and search databases.
Students will still be able to log onto the Web site from Prairie View’s main page, but the library’s homepage will now look very similar to the rest of the Web site. The Web site will also feature interface changes to make searching easier.
Feature tabs at the tops of the pages will allow access to homepages from any other page. Database searches will be more streamlined and every database available on the old Website will continue to be available. Peer review materials will also be available in the database searches. “This overhaul is for students, faculty, staff, and visitors,” said Karl Henson, the library webmaster who engineered the conversion, “This will give the world a chance to see what Prairie View is all about.”
There will also be additions to the Web site such as pages which give students tips on making database searching easier, and an online reference shelf, which will include a dictionary, phone directory, maps, newspapers, and online journals. A news feed will also be added which will display upcoming events at the library. The university has many historical resources and special collections that will be showcased on the Web site.
Starting next year, yearly website evaluations will be available to students to express their thoughts on the new design. There will also be an open forum on the site which will allow students to make comments.
“We want to make sure the Web site is more useful for students, allowing them to do more from home with the library’s resources. We try to make this library feel like your home; the Web site should reflect this,” Henson said.