Task # 10: New Website

The new website looks great!  I think our patrons will generally find the new website easier to use.  If they don't, the 'Contact' link at the bottom of the footer is a great new feature and forum to voice complaints or comments.

Navigating the site is more fluid and much easier with fewer steps between the homepage and the destination page.  It is more organized in appearance and it just looks better.  The "How Do I?" menu is convenient, present on every page, and provides answers to some of our most basic and frequently asked questions.

I think the best new feature of the website exists in its simplicity.  It looks sharp, seamless, and each page contains less text than our current website, eliminating distractions and allowing for fast, effortless navigation.

Task # 9: Universal Class

I am continually amazed by how much our libraries have to offer.  As a community, we are very fortunate to have a number of online resources, such as Universal Class, at our fingertips.  While browsing the new database, I found a few courses that might be helpful to patrons who want to know more about law.  Universal Class offers Employment Law Fundamentals 101, Fundraising 101, Legal Terminology 101, and three courses on contract law.  There is also a class, Typing and Keyboarding 101, that might be beneficial to many of our patrons and it might also serve as a class we can offer the public.
Like Josh, I also plan to enroll in the course for Excel 2007 to learn more about the software.  Although Universal Class does not offer credit hours for continuing education, I look forward to taking a course where my learning is self-paced and I can be free to participate without the added pressure of making a grade.