Aug. 14, 2009 – The main library website was changed August 14, 2009, to use the university's standard look and feel template. As a part of this transition, changes have been made to the website to make it easier to use, to expose more useful content, and to make navigation among the pages more clear. Consistency with other university websites will make using the library's website a better experience. Your feedback on these changes is appreciated.

The homepage will feature fewer links. Users have long complained that there were too many choices presented, making it difficult to decide what to use. We now present a short list of the most frequently used links, and instead emphasize various help pages for those unfamiliar with the website. The ability to search the library website or browse the complete A-Z list of links from any web page should make it easier to find the pages and resources you require.

Search boxes for Addison, the Journal Title Database, and the list of databases is prominent on the homepage. We also display current library hours throughout the site. Long pages have been divided into separate pages; this improves navigation and visibility inside the website and makes the content that used to be at the bottom of these long pages more likely to be indexed by search engines like Google.

A new help page, labeled How do I...? brings together helpful information on common tasks or questions patrons have. From conducting research to finding books and articles to borrowing materials and using technology and equipment, this new page links to the tools and information patrons need to take full advantage of the resources the library offers.

This update will results in a few hiccups: changes to the directory structure will mean broken links on other university websites and user's bookmarks will need updating; the Google Custom Search that powers the search this site feature will need a few days to re-index the website; and users will need to learn new paths to the content they seek. Do not hesitate to use Ask a Librarian for assistance in using the revised website.