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USM Forum -- Message Board -> AAUP-USM MESSAGE BOARD -> Printz Letter--USM's new website still lacks quick link to school libraries
Post Info TOPIC: Printz Letter--USM's new website still lacks quick link to school libraries
Reporter


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Printz Letter--USM's new website still lacks quick link to school libraries
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USM's new website still lacks quick link to school libraries

http://media.www.studentprintz.com/media/storage/paper974/news/2007/01/23/Opinion/Letters.To.The.Editor.12307-2667699.shtml?sourcedomain=www.studentprintz.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com

"Checking out Southern Miss's new website's beta version, I was perplexed at not seeing a direct link to the University Libraries. There's a direct link to Greek Life, Student Employment, and a large attention grabbing button soliciting donations. ...

I puzzled over it all and came to this conclusion; perhaps there was no room for frivolous links to things like the library. After all, there's only so much room on the internet...

Toward the end of his message, President Thames sums up how Southern Miss fulfills its mission through the creation of knowledge in the classroom. Pausing after the sheer labor of composing this platitude, he goes on to write, "Southern Miss is a vibrant, acclaimed university steeped in alumni, athletic and academic traditions."

The President's word order, like the libraries' missing link, is unfortunate and telling."



-- Edited by Reporter at 07:04, 2007-01-23

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asdf


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I remember this coming up last time they redesigned the website and I wondered if putting a link to the library on the front page was in fact standard practice.  I did a quick survey of front pages of some major universities in the southeast (the first ones that came to my mind) and of the 15, 5 did not have a library link that I could find (LSU, T A&M, FSU, UGA, GSU).  Places that did have one:  Bama, Auburn, UF (though it was kind of buried), UTenn, UTex, Tulane, Vandy, USC, UM, MSU.

Looking at other nearby regional universities, West Fla did not have one, but UNO, USA, and SLU had one.  Then I wondered about the academic elite, so I looked at the ivy league schools.  All except Yale had a front page link, though Cornell, Brown, and Dartmouth kind of buried it.

I freely admit that I quickly scanned the website and I might have missed a link (though if they made it that difficult to find, does it count?).  I also did not click on drop-down lists.  My conclusion: most places have a library link on their front page, but it is not an absolute.



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Obviousman


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Don't know how long it has  been there, but there is a link entitled "Libraries" on the front page of www.usm.edu, right next to A to Z index.

OM



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Obviousman


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Obviously the coffee has yet to kick in. That was on the Old Page. Nothing on the new test drive page.

 OM



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HEST


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It's available under the "Quick Links" on the new site. The library faculty fought the good fight to have it put as a link on the front page itself, but alas to no avail.  Maybe if enough people suggest that it be moved to a link on the front page -- like they did last time it will be moved. (It was omitted from the front page in the last redesign, but was ultimately put down on the bottom with the NCATE, SACS, A-Z thing, and other links) . 

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Obviousman


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HEST wrote:
It's available under the "Quick Links" on the new site. The library faculty fought the good fight to have it put as a link on the front page itself, but alas to no avail.  Maybe if enough people suggest that it be moved to a link on the front page -- like they did last time it will be moved. (It was omitted from the front page in the last redesign, but was ultimately put down on the bottom with the NCATE, SACS, A-Z thing, and other links) . 

Obviously the Library link or others under the "Quick" button, are far below a link for the Polymer Science Seminar series page (uninspiring and bland pdf page is obtained if one clicks on it). What a joke.

 OM

 



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HEST


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Obviousman wrote:
Obviously the Library link or others under the "Quick" button, are far below a link for the Polymer Science Seminar series page (uninspiring and bland pdf page is obtained if one clicks on it). What a joke.

I agree. Here's a typo that caused me to laugh pretty hard for a while, though.  You can find it by clicking on the big, ugly "Academics" button on the left under the "Southern Miss Facts" drop-down menu.

Libraries
Learn more about the administrative officers who serve as the brain trust behind Southern Miss.

It's even funnier when you put it with the "Leadership" link which appears when you click on the  "Future Students" button then "About the Univeristy" link. "Brain Trust," indeed.

And as long as I'm being really grumpy -- what's with all the pictures of USM students jumping in the air and waving their hands? And why is there so much peppy stock photography???  The whole thing is reminding me of "Face Book" for some reason.  



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asdf


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I'm glad someone else noticed all of the generic pictures on the page.  Do we not have any pictures of happy students?  The "apply here" button that is on several pages look like a credit card ad.  Is the President's Message (something most people will only read once, if that) really something that should go under Popular Links? There are also several bugs with this page.  The Faculty Excellence awards link takes you to Biology's Research News page.  You should never link to a pdf on the front page without a warning.  The drop down list on the left is buggy.  Under Faculty & Staff, Employee Services does not render correctly.  Probably most disturbing is there is no obvious way to let someone know about any problems.  That is the whole reason for a beta test.  There should be a big button saying, if you see a problem, click here.

Now, something positive.  I think on a whole, minus the stock photos, it looks more professional and thank god they got rid of the University of Southern Mississippi title with the emphasis on Southern Miss. We are a university, not an athletic team.  The logo looks much better now.



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HEST


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asdf wrote:

Now, something positive. I think on a whole, minus the stock photos, it looks more professional and thank god they got rid of the University of Southern Mississippi title with the emphasis on Southern Miss. We are a university, not an athletic team. The logo looks much better now.

Thanks for reminding me that I need to find something positive to go with criticisms, asdf.  Although there are many problems with the new site that I see, I do agree there are some improvements over the last site. The color scheme, for one example, is MUCH better than the yellow found in baby diapers....um, I mean, Pantone 25-whatever which is so prevalent on the old site.  And the scores of people who worked on the site put in long hours, were up against tight deadlines, and were some what restrained by PR-marketing silliness from what I understand...

I'm just having a hard time being USM positive today after finding out that the Provost hasn't moved on our permission to advertise forms which have been on his desk since November. 



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Mongrel Dog


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Comments on the website can go to web_questions@usm.edu

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