[Publib] Website Design

[Robert L. Balliot]

Greetings,

 

I think that is a great point.  We were quoted a price

of $27,500 to create a municipal website and I was

solicited to create it instead as part of my library

duties.   It was a couple hundred pages and fairly

complex, but the real issue is understanding what

contents and components were needed. I based

development on primary resource documents -

charter and ordinances describing the functions

of government-  and from those designed a structure.

 

My site ended being incorporated with a state wide site

and many of the elements and structures were used

to extend lateral resources - including RSS feeds 

to minutes and agendas.  As it exists now, it appears

to be copyrighted by the vendor that manages the

site.

 

Because the service elements of cities and towns are generally

the same, if you create one, you can use that as

a template for developing future sites.  I think the same is 

true for libraries.  There are specific elements of information 

that are common to all libraries - large and small.  Library

web sites have been around long enough to make me think

that there should be a set of best practices beyond 

the required accessibility guidelines that extend to the types

and quality of information.

 

You should own the code and have it copyrighted

by your institution - not the vendor.  It is easy enough

to back up the code - using remote and in-house

services.  Remember to save early and often!

 

*************************************************

Join: http://gotbooks.ning.com/

Robert L. Balliot

1-401-441-5763

Skype: RBalliot

Bristol, Rhode Island

http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm

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From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Bob Watson
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 12:44 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Website Design

 

Just wanting to note one of the issues ... whether or not the library owns
the code.  

 

It's probably best to have complex website development done by a vendor but
since you may eventually need to part ways with said vendor (or if said
vendor goes out of business) you probably want the website running on your
own server(s).  If not, you at least want back-up copies of the code for
migration purposes. 

 

This code may not be cheap.  One vendor wanted over $30K for doing our by
now complicated website.  The result (scheduled for public rollout later
this month) was our going to a vendor in the UK.

 

Bob Watson

Director

Lake Villa District Library

Lake Villa, IL

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