Library Website Management and Maintenance: A Study of the Uk 1994 Group |
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| Authors: | Sue Manuel James Dearnley Graham Walton |
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| Institution: | Department of Information Science , Loughborough University , Loughborough, UK |
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| Abstract: | The Academic Library website is a key access point for information and services. This paper reports on a study of the 1994 Group Library web presence, with a view to establishing their practices in terms of site management and maintenance. It provides evidence of the commitment this Group makes towards ensuring their sites meet the needs of their users. The study encompassed a survey to gather data on current management and maintenance practices, and direct observation of the home pages of these Libraries to establish layout conventions and details of changes made over time. The influence of University policy in respect of the look-and-feel of the Library website and decision making around it are revealed. The implementation of new social technologies across this Group also became evident. We also show that a number of Libraries in the Group are not currently evaluating the use of their site, and that changes to some home pages were seldom made during the study period. Due to the limitations inherent in focusing on a limited number of Library websites, a larger sample size would make the findings of this research more applicable to a wider range of University Libraries. |
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| Keywords: | Academic Library website survey website management website maintenance |
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