Information about MHLS-Managed Member Library Web Sites

1. Does Mid-Hudson provide a web site for each library?

MHLS can design and host a web site for member libraries, and maintain any informational changes on that web site. There is an annual fee of $250 fee charged for this service. New Lebanon Library http://newlebanon.lib.ny.us/ and Starr Library in Rhinebeck http://starr.rhinebeck.lib.ny.us/ both are examples of MHLS-managed library web sites. The center section of the homepage is updated by MHLS approximately 10 times a year, providing new content that links back into the Catalog.

There are some general areas that can be customized by the library. We ask for customized text for"The library is located at...." and "The library was founded in ____ and has the special feature(s) of....". Some members also customize the text for the Volunteers and Donations section. Default text is included in the preliminary draft we prepare for the library, this may be edited if you want different wording

For a picture of the library we can use a photo or artwork of your library in digital form or in paper form. This can be updated upon request.

We encourage all libraries to add an online calendar that is managed by the library. Adding a calendar to your library web page is a great way to promote and publicize the events that the library is offering to the community. It shows everyone that the library is a dynamic and active place. It brings people to your website to interact with it. Having a web calendar is within the scope of any library. The price starts at free and goes up, depending on the features included. You do not need to know HTML to manage these calendars, you can manage them yourself at your library and you do not have to have your own server space. It is all done in real-time from your Internet connected computer. A listing of four good calendar choices is available at http://midhudson.org/admin/web/Web_calendar.htm.

Contact madvocate@midhudson.org with any questions about MHLS-managed web pages or managing a claendar for your library web site.

2. Can my library produce its own Web page?

Libraries can have a web site produced by the library and hosted by an entity other than Mid-Hudson, such as an ISP or a web page hosting vendor. MHLS does not host library-produced web pages. Maintenance of library-produced web pages is the responsibility of the library.

September 2007