WebJunction

A creative and sustainable Web presence is becoming essential for libraries. Whether your library is using the Web for fundraising, information retrieval, communications, or publicity, a Web site provides a cost-effective way to reach thousands of people instantly.

The Web is changing the way the entire world exchanges information. What used to take days of research -- including travel time, library time, note taking, and synthesis of information - now can be accomplished in a matter of hours, thanks to the Web. Consider the following advantages:

• A Web site is a means of publicizing and promoting your library. By putting everything from contact information to a description of your services on the Web, you allow people throughout your community to discover you, understand what you do, and contact you if they need to.
• A Web site can be a forum to share articles and other written information with patrons, Friends of the Library, library board members, and the general public.
• A Web site can help you attract new patrons. If you implement features such as message boards, it can also build a community among existing members.
• The Web can help you get funding through online donations. If you want to raise funds via your library Web site, you have to run SSL (secure sockets layer) on your Web server for secure capabilities. You also would have to purchase a security certificate and run services on your Web server. Third party companies/organizations will, for a small cut of the donations, handle all of the money collection online for you. Libraries usually do this through their Friends organization or library foundation, which have 501(c)3 status.

See TechSoup guide Michael Stein's Primer on Online Fundraising for Non-profit Organizations.

• The Web has become the primary information system in which most future development will occur. University librarians already have noted that students are increasingly unwilling to consult print resources -- if it's not online, it doesn't exist. Many people tend to pull up a Web site before they search for the telephone book. In the coming years, the Web will increasingly become *the* source for information.

For more details on the ways in which non-profits can use the Web, see TechSoup guide Rick Christ's article The Stages of Site Development.

Making the vision a reality

The global village that the Web can produce is a compelling vision -- but for many libraries, it is not yet a reality. Most libraries find that it takes awhile to tailor their Web presence to reach and serve their audience. It also takes take awhile to market and promote the site to potential users.

It is no small task to create and maintain a Web site. Once you decide you want a site, you will be faced with a wide range of options, and you will need to make some informed decisions based on your budget and your goals. The article, Planning Your Web Site, will orient you to the decision-making process.