WHSLA website: new look revealed!

You might remember there was a small group working to update the WHSLA website. This update included new logos and a new platform for the site. On behalf of the website committee, we're happy to share a draft of the new website and feedback form.

Our new logos and color scheme were designed by Ashley Ziedler. Ashley writes "This logo was designed to represent Wisconsin as well as health science themes that we encounter as librarians. We also have the square version of the logo which can be used when a smaller logo would best fit the intended format. In terms of color palette, I wanted to stick to a simple color scheme that also did not reflect one individual institution."

You'll find the new logos and color scheme on a live draft of the new website . If you have time to take a look, we'd love to hear your feedback. 

The website draft was created after looking at current WHSLA webpage content, peer state and regional HSL sites, and paring down what needs to be maintained. Here are a few changes we've made:

• WHSLA online files (archives and more) have been moved to DropBox from Google Drive
• Site will be transfered from Google Sites to DreamHost (WordPress hosting site)
•   Membership directory will be password-protected. You must be a current WHSLA member to view/download.
• Forms will be fillable online (Librarian of the Year, Library of the Year)

The draft site has a few more tweaks to make before making it live. We hope to have the updated site up and running within the next month.

A big thank you to the WHSLA website committee: Ashley Ziedler, Brenda Fay, Liz Suelzer, and Liz Witkowski for all their hard work getting the new site up and running. Thank you to Robert Koehler for helping get the account set up for the new site. 

Lastly, a big thank you to Jennifer Schramm, who has been the WHSLA webmaster for almost a decade. Once the new site is up, Liz Suelzer will be taking over the role of webmaster.

WHSLA Wisdom Chat: July 19 at 1 pm

From Barb Ruggeri

"Our electronic meeting 1:00 pm July 19^th will feature a preview of the new WHSLA web site.  Please join us to give our design team your feedback on this prototype.  We will follow with our usual round of sharing of important events at our institutions, or in our professional/personal  lives.

I will be sending out meeting request later next week to all current WHSLA members.   If you haven’t renewed your membership for 2023 yet, now is the time!!   We have a virtual annual meeting coming in September and a WHSLA Wisdom chat on copyright in November.

Enjoy your summer!"

WHSLA website redesign progressing

The WHSLA website redesign is coming along and we wanted to keep you in the loop about how things are progressing. 

The Jan/Feb 2023 survey we sent out asking how you use the WHSLA website, helped inform the work we are doing. Just a reminder that the top responses about what you use the website for included membership lists, blog, and bylaws. 

Structure of website: This spring, the committee spent time looking at other health science library association sites, including Midwest Chapter MLA, HSLI, and MHSLA. There were some commonalities with the structure that we liked and are hoping to implement on the new WHSLA site. In addition, we found ways to make things clearer, like officer and committee lists that deliniate voting and non-voting roles. 

Feedback on new structure: To give WHSLA members a chance to give feedback on the new structure, we will be sending out a survey before July 1. 

Updating logo: Stay tuned for more on the WHSLA logo. It could be a simple addition of color or broader redesign. 

 

Call for volunteers: 2023 WHSLA website project

It was great to see so many of you at last week’s WHSLA 2022 Business Meeting. At the meeting one of the New Business items was a discussion on the WHSLA website. After a mandatory Google update earlier in 2022, the website lost some functionality that also showed the older architecture and page structure of the website. Members recommended exploring migrating the WHSLA website in 2023.

 The WHSLA Communications committee, which the website falls under, is looking for volunteers to help with this endeavor. We’re especially looking for people with web design experience and/or experience with platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, or another out of the box tool. Please consider volunteering to help make the WHSLA website more user friendly and accessible for our members.

 Draft timeline:

• Website group meets regularly starting in early 2023
• Makes recommendation to WHSLA Board at Spring 2023 Board Meeting
• Moves forward with website migration and completes by Fall 2023
• Timeline is fluid and may change with schedule of 2023 WHSLA Virtual Conference

 If you have web design experience or are interested in helping, please respond to brenda dot fay by Friday, January 13, 2023.