Denver Public Library Denver Public Library
This website has been created for "Information Architecture for the Web", a graduate class at Indiana University. The purpose of this site is to create a hand-coded website which evaluates the online presence of a public library, reviewing its organization, content, and general usability. In this case, I have reviewed the Denver Public Library. Links are included to assist you with the outline of the assignment and the evaluation criteria utilized, along with comprehensive reviews of Content and Technical attributes. If you have stumbled upon this site by accident, feel free to look around - understanding that this is a class assignment, and not a comprehensive evaluation of the Denver Public Library.
The Denver Public Library began operating in 1889 as a small public library in a part of the Denver High School. In 1910, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie funded a new building, and over the next ten years eight additional branches were constructed to support the greater Denver area.
Finally, in 1990, with the growing advent of the technology sector in Denver, over 75% of the population passed a bond issue to build a new library, complete with the latest technology - including equipment, Internet connections, and access to electronic resources. DPL is also currently ranked #1 among U.S. Public Libraries in the "Great American Public Libraries: The 2002 HAPLR Rankings" as published in American Libraries.
The Denver Public Library (DPL) serves many important functions for the citizens of Colorado. In addition to providing services to the Denver metro area, DPL is an official Resource Center for the state, and a regional depository for the federal government. Well-known for its historical western collections and its Children's Library, DPL also supports 22 branch locations, a Bookmobile, and their website http://denverlibrary.org.
The Denver Public Library provides the following Mission Statement:
DPL does not differentiate between its "physical" and "online" library resources or purpose. In browsing the website, it becomes apparent that the website is an integral and valued part of their library services. The site is well-thought out and organized around the common areas of library use. It's content and navigation/usability will be outlined in the "Content Review" and "Technical Review" pages to follow.
DPL Online is low on graphics, but high on content and ease of navigation, providing an efficient and welcoming interface for novice or expert technology users. On its opening page, all the key areas are noted, allowing users to simply and efficiently "get to where they need to go". In addition, a Site Map and specialized links for Kids, Teens, and Hispanic Americans are included. The rest of the site is broken down in the following way:
This site, http://denverlibrary.org. utilizes Java, CSS and HTML in its design. It is well-planned, easily navigable, uncluttered in its appearance, and provides many of the newest technologies utilized by Librarians. I comfortably viewed it in a Windows environment with AOL 8.0 and Internet Explorer 5.0 on 9/20/03.
Return to top of Page
|
 |
 |