This is a guest post by Brian Rapson, Team Librarian
The minute we started working with the Web Team, their passion for improving the look and feel of our webpages and the content made it clear that it was not going to be just a matter of shoe-horning the old into the new, but would rather represent a new way of thinking and presenting the service to our customers.
It was explained at the outset that this was not a process which would require changes to the service, but that it could potentially highlight elements of the way we work which could be reviewed in order for us to enhance the service that we offer.
And indeed, it has proved to be a great opportunity to look at systems through the eye of both a user and a web designer. Staff continually re-evaluate systems and look at ways of streamlining them, but this process has been a very effective catalyst. Some of the systems highlighted in this process are internal procedures, some are interfaces between the internal system and those of our partners, some may be fairly easily changed, some may not and might require expenditure, some may happen quite quickly and be in place for the beta launch, and some may form part of a longer process of development; however the outcome will definitely be an improved service.
The Libraries Team are pleased to be the guinea pigs for the new user-friendly Shropshire Council website and as we move through the research and planning process prior to the launch in April, the level of anticipation and excitement is growing.