Web Team breaks awkward silence, launches website improvements

Patient readers, we know we've been out of touch for a long time - pretty much ever since we launched the new website last August. What's been keeping us too busy to blog? For one thing, we've been listening to your feedback about the new site - many thanks to everyone who has posted on this blog or shared your comments through other channels. We've also had our hands full helping some of the many people who have started using the library's eBook services. (Did you get a shiny new eReader/tablet/smartphone over the holidays last year? We can tell.)

If, like Janet Jackson circa 1986, you're asking "What have you done for me lately?", we have some good news. We've been working on a few improvements to the website that are now available.

• Dates when new DVDs will be available for placing holds: You asked for it, and here it is: new feature DVDs become holdable six months after the library acquires them, and now the record for each DVD includes the date when it will be available for holds.

• Mega-menus for faster, easier navigation: We've introduced mega-menus to help you go directly to the section of the site you want. The menus include links to many of the most popular pages on the site.

 

 

• Share an item by email: Found something great on the library website? Email it to a friend (or to yourself). The email will contain all the relevant details about the item. Books, movies, music, library branches, library programs/events - all can be shared quickly and easily via email.

Other things we've been working on include a project to integrate digitized books and images from the library's Special Collections into the website and a major application server migration.

And we haven't forgotten about some of the other things you've been asking for:

• A “wish list” feature
• Enhancements to search, including type-ahead
• A mobile version of the site
• An online purchase request form
• Online fine payment

A project to improve Your Account features and accessibility is just getting underway.

Please keep your feedback coming - input from you helps us prioritize upcoming improvements.