WOW Websites

I have just recently acquired the job of editing the LUCY website for our IMLS Grant. Some of the tasks are soooo easy and others are quite the challenge. I blame the software whenever I can. It is something the college uses and so, understandbly, it has a lot of rules! Limiting the size is a rule. File name rules abound! I went to a workshop and am actually signed up to take it again so I can improve my speed, if nothing else. Anyway, I say all this to let you know I know a little about website design. Great websites don't just appear overnight so when I was gathering websites to show my library science students, it occurred to me, you might be interested as well. Buffy Hamilton calls her blog "The Unquiet Librarian" which is chock full of engaging informational writing, but I was most excited about her Destiny website which is linked to her blog. http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/ Here is the library's Destiny page http://mediacenter.cherokee.k12.ga.us/quest/servlet/presentquestform.do?site=128 For my non-librarian readers, Destiny is the latest online catalog many districts are upgrading to. The opening webpage can be tweaked by the staff so when I saw the one from Creekview High School, I knew they had spent alot of time on the design. They did this for the students not for themselves. Engaging online catalogs will draw students to that resource. Please check out this website. If you do a search for Unquiet Librarian, you get a lot of hits. She has the blog, wiki, facebook, her library weebsite, etc. A great online presence. Of course, I always share Joyce Valenza's library website with library students. This website is such a role model for what we should be providing for students online. Love it! And I believe kids can move around on the site. Would your kids be able to do this? I found another site which is designed to help librarians, http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/969, and lo and behold, they reference Joyce's library site, but not always in complimentary terms. What do you think??? Will post some other examples soon.