Content, form, and currency: the information provided on North Carolina Public Library Web Sites

Many public libraries now have Web sites, which can be evaluated in regard to accessibility, usability, appearance, or content, among other criteria. This paper focuses on content. Sixty-six North Carolina public library Web sites were examined to see what subject matter they included, what form they took, who their audiences were, and whether the information was current. The most frequent subject matter was information about the libraries themselves, followed by electronic resources. Many of the sites included local information, including social service listings or local history resources. Almost three-quarters of the library sites included information of more general interest, including Reader's Advisory materials and Web links. Approximately a third provided user instruction materials, while five sites published unanticipated content, such as information about sister library programs

Moving Out of the Corner and onto the Web: An Evaluation of Websites Created for Local History Collections in Public Libraries

Local history collections in public libraries provide access to valuable historical materials related to a specific geographic area. The World Wide Web has presented the collections with an innovative way to communicate to patrons the services the public library can offer through its local history holdings. This paper examines the amount of information and the presentation of information that local history collections in public libraries are offering to patrons in fifty of the most populated areas in the United States. The population and budget per capita of each of the libraries is examined to determine if these aspects have an impact on the effectiveness of the websites

O serviço de Web site da biblioteca 2.0

A internet veio revolucionar o modo como os cidadãos obtêm, consomem e partilham informação. A sua evolução para um contexto Web 2.0 obriga as bibliotecas públicas portuguesas a optarem por novas ferramentas que melhor permitam satisfazer as necessidades de informação dos seus utilizadores, num contexto 2.0, onde se destaca o seu serviço de Web site. Assim, para perceber se as BPs portuguesas oferecem serviços de Web site que satisfaçam as necessidades de informação dos seus utilizadores, este estudo tem como objetivos: conhecer os critérios de qualidade a que este serviço deve obedecer, e de que forma estes são cumpridos pelas bibliotecas em estudo, saber qual o envolvimento/ atitude dos bibliotecários portugueses face ao marketing e ainda, se o envolvimento/ atitude do bibliotecário face ao marketing, se reflete na qualidade prestada pelo serviço de Web site da biblioteca. Para tal, levaram-se a cabo dois estudos junto das bibliotecas públicas portuguesas, pertencentes à rede nacional de bibliotecas públicas e cujo serviço de Web site integra um catálogo. No Primeiro estudo, realizou-se a observação aos serviços de Web site das bibliotecas públicas portuguesas, com o intuito de quantificar a taxa de cumprimento dos critérios de qualidade. No segundo, recorreu-se a questionários aos bibliotecários portugueses, para perceber qual o seu grau de envolvimento/ atitude face ao marketing, por fim efetuou-se a correlação entre estas duas variáveis. Os resultados permitiram concluir que a qualidade dos serviços de Web site das bibliotecas públicas portuguesas, de uma maneira geral, não é satisfatória, em contrapartida os bibliotecários demonstram um bom envolvimento/ atitude face ao marketing. Quanto à correlação entre as variáveis apresentadas, qualidade do serviço de Web site e envolvimento/ atitude do bibliotecário face ao marketing, verifica-se que ela não existe, ou seja a qualidade do serviço de Web site não está dependente do envolvimento/ atitude do bibliotecário relativamente ao marketing.The internet has revolutionized the way people obtain, consume and share information. Its evolution to a Web 2.0 context compels Portuguese public libraries to opt for new tools best suited to satisfy the information needs of its users in an environment 2.0, which highlights its Web site service. So, to figure out if Portuguese public libraries offer Web site services meeting the information needs of its users, this study aims to perceive the quality criteria that this service must follow, and how it is fulfilled by the libraries in study. It was intended to know the involvement / attitude of Portuguese librarians face marketing and if that attitude is reflected in the quality provided by the Library Web site service. In order to do this, were carried out two studies with Portuguese public libraries, belonging to the national network of public libraries and whose Web sites are included in a service catalog. At first, Portuguese public library Web sites were evaluated to quantify the rate of compliance with the quality criteria. Then, were used questionnaires to Portuguese librarians, to realize their level of involvement / attitude towards marketing, and finally it was made a correlation between these two variables. The results showed that, in general, the quality of Portuguese public library services Web site is not satisfying, nevertheless librarian’s good involvement / attitude towards marketing. With regard to the correlation between the two variables presented, the quality of the Web site service and involvement versus the attitude of the librarian face marketing, it turns out that it does not exist, i.e. the quality of the website service is not dependent on the involvement / attitude librarian relating to marketing