Reprint from Collections & Connections
Spring 1999, Vol. 3, No. 2

Led by Cindy Etkin, our former Government Information and Law Coordinator, University Libraries and Kentucky Museum made its World Wide Web debute in 1995. Two years later, Dean Michael Binder appointed a Web Site Working Group chaired by Ruth Kinnersley, Coordinator of Access Services, to bring a newly designed Homepage to the screen of our patrons. The original six buttons changed into links broken down to three columns, making more information available on the first page.

Propelled by the recent explosion of new and innovative technology, the Web Site Working Group (WSWG ), now co-chaired by Haiwang Yuan, Web Site and Virtual Library Coordinator, along with Ruth Kinnersley, found it necessary to redesign the Libraries and Museum Homepage. The three columns of links were growing to a point where finding information was not as easy as it had been. Like a child, it began to outgrow its own clothes. We needed to find ways to address the problem while at the same time keeping the Homepage as user-friendly as it was meant to be. After months of hard work, blessed with the support from the Dean, the Department heads and the faculty and staff, our WSWG has been able to give our Homepage a newer design and look, made possible by new developments in web technology.

While sharing some common characteristics with the Western Online Homepage in color scheme and quick link layout, our new design at www.wku.edu/Library maintains an identity of its own. Apart from a banner with a line-up of the Libraries and Museum buildings in the shades of foliage and vegetation, a left-hand column features a list of links to ready information such as Ask Us, Library Hours, TOPCAT, WKU Search Engine, Libraries Web Index and the popular Electronic Databases. We plan to make this column available on each of our major web pages.

Another change, ironically, seems to be a reversal to our original Homepage: the three columns are broken up into categories again, this time eight instead of six. A fundamental difference, however, is made by the JavaScript technology. Instead of buttons that led to more layers of pages and columns of links that threaten to grow too long, now what we have is eight drop-down menus that display all the links on the same page at your choice. This third generation of our Homepage is built upon the success of the first and second generations and yet incorporates the advantages of the two into one: making access to information easy and fast.

More important than access is content. Not only did we add such new pages as the Dean's "Welcome Message", Strategic Long Range Plan, Frequently Asked Questions, Suggestion Box, University Archives and new exhibits in the Kentucky Museum, we also revised pages like Workshop Schedules and Faculty/Staff pages to make them more up-to-date and accessible. The Web Site Working Group is engaged in more than half a dozen new projects and the task of keeping information on our web pages current. In addition, we are creating pages to celebrate the Southern Kentucky Festival of Books and National Library Week in April.

The completion of the Homepage is just the beginning--the beginning of a process of making our web pages more user friendly, informative and interesting. An online Satisfaction Survey is now accessible from our site. Please visit us and continue to contribute your invaluable feedback.

~Haiwang Yuan and Michael Binder

Please join us at the Southern Kentucky Festival of Books at the Warren County Convention Center April 16-18! The festival is a three day literary celebration organized by WKU Libraries, the Bowling Green Public Library, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Scheduled during National Library Week, the goal of the Southern Kentucky Festival of Books is to promote literacy in the region and the encourage the love of books.

R. L. Stine, author of the #1 best-selling children's book series, Goosebumps, will be featured at the festival, along with award-winning producer, director, and screen writer, John Carpenter. A few other high profile literary figures, like Richard Taylor, the newly designated "Poet Laureate" of Kentucky will be attending the festival. Scholarly authors will be in attendance too, like Dr. James Haskins, the highly acclaimed author from the University of Florida. Some 75 other local, regional, and nationally known authors, to numerous to mention, are also expected at the festival - your favorite might be among them! Come and find out!

Governor Paul E. Patton has agreed to serve as the event's honorary chairperson, and schedule permitting, he will be on hand during some of the activities. The Southern Kentucky Festival of Books has been designed to be a family event. Celebrity readings, demonstrations, panel discussions, and a number of Antiquarian Book Dealers will be on hand at the festival to provide plenty of activities of interest to both children and adults.

Many children's activities are planned for the festival. Nearly every children's author indicated a willingness to do storytelling, readings, etc. for the young people. There will also be a range of hands-on activities for children: making bookmarks, book making, button creation, coloring sheets, goody bags, and even photo opportunities with one of the eight costumed characters that will be on hand to interact with the children (including the Cat in the Hat, Garfield, etc.).

The festival is likely to be remembered as one of the foremost educational and cultural events in the region. In order to encourage students to Read! Learn! and Connect!, the theme of National Library Week this year, the Southern Kentucky Festival of Books has sponsored a number of contests in the area schools. Grades K-3 are to design a book cover; grades 4-6 are to write an essay of 300 words on "Reading is..."; grades 7-8 are to write a 500 word essay using the same theme; and grades 9-12 are to write poetry. Winners in the various categories will receive prizes, and their work will be published in a festival tabloid! They will also have an opportunity to have "Lunch with R. L. Stine. All this in addition to bringing nearly 80 high quality authors, all of whom are willing to do readings, panel presentations, and book signings as a way to encourage interest in reading.

Scheduled for 7:00-9:00 p.m. Friday, April 16, is a "Meet the Authors" cocktail party and fund raiser hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Gary Ransdell. Tickets for this event can be purchased for $30.00 per person or $50.00 per couple.

Saturday, April 17, continues the Southern Kentucky Festival of Books and offers numerous special programs and book signings to expand everyones literary horizons. From 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. many authors, such as children's author, Marcia Thornton Jones (Godzilla Ate my Homework, Double Trouble Monsters, etc.); historian Ted F. Belue (A sketch of the Life and Character of Daniel Boone), and Marianne Walker (Margaret Mitchell and John Marsh; the Love Story Behind Gone with the Wind) will be on hand at the Bowling Green/Warren County Convention Center to sell, sign, or discuss their literary work. This event is free and open to the public. On Saturday afternoon, children are invited to "Lunch with R. L. Stine," a children's fundraiser at 11:30 a.m.; the cost is $10.00 per child. Saturday evening's events include a "Barbecue and Bluegrass" family event and fundraiser at Lost River Cave Valley from 6:30-9:00 p.m.. Tickets for this event can be purchased for $10.00 per person or $25.00 per family.

Sunday April 18, concludes the Southern Kentucky Festival of Books. Those who missed Saturday's opportunity to meet and speak with critically acclaimed novelists will certainly want to take advantage of this last opportunity to do so . Book signings and other special programs involving these authors will be held from Noon-5:00 p.m. Any proceeds from the book festival and all related activities will benefit: WKU Libraries, Bowling Green Public Libraries, and Barnes and Nobles' "First Book" project.

We encourage you to attend! Events and activities are still being added daily as we go to press, so please tune into one of our media related sponsors for updates on events. These sponsors include: WBKO-TV, Daily News, WKCT, WBVR, 103.7 "The Point," and Country 95. For more information or to volunteer to help, contact Earlene Chelf, Book Festival Director at Western (502) 745-5263; Natalie Hinkle, Barnes & Noble (502) 746-9779; or Alisa Carmichael at the Public Library (502) 781-4882.

~Elisabeth Knight and Darla Bressler