Sarah (and anyone with an interest in these issues),
If you're interested in good practice in web learning in the MAL sector,
then you could do a lot worse than sign up for the [log in to unmask]
list and put your query there. That list contains a lot of people with an
interest in similar issues. Without volunteering anyone to help, I know
there's been a bit of work by UKOLN on this sort of thing.
You might also look abroad for some inspiration, particularly at some of the
state libraries in the US. Florida springs to mind as one that has an
interesting kidzone. http://www.flelibrary.org/
My own opinion: I agree with Ian that you can't really lump kids in together
on things like this, and a lot of your older kid audience may be put off by
anything too obviously designed to be fun-fun-fun. I think that you are more
likely to have greater success by starting with some engagement/consultation
with your existing kid users and getting a sense from them of what
activities online are likely to motivate them to want to engage with books
and ICT. Otherwise you're in danger of just producing an online marketing
pamphlet.
You might also want to think how young people themselves might be able to
use a site for peer-to-peer exchange of ideas and information. One of the
pages I visit every day is frequented by a small group of my friends, and
they use it to post reviews of books they've recently read.
Corporate branding can be a big drawback, but that applies to the content as
much as the design. Just making it colorful isn't quite enough!
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Edelman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 26 March 2004 13:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: 'child friendly' websites
I am guessing that by 'child friendly' you mean websites designed with
children as the target audience. With children coming in a variety of ages
and abilities, it can become difficult to be all things to all children.
For a website, as with the provision of any service for children, you
really need to go further than 'child friendly' if what you provide is
going to be fully effective.
My colleague in Suzanna Wallis in Hampshire Libraries has
produced 'Kidszone' for children at www.hants.gov.uk/library/kidszone/
This is built on our corporate template (very restricted by corporate
guidelines) but uses more 'child friendly' links and images.
Ian Edelman
Web Manager
Recreation and Heritage
Hampshire Couty Council
www.hants.gov.uk/rh
-----Original Message-----
From: Sarah Lewis [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 March 2004 17:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: 'child friendly' websites
Dear All
We are trying to set up a 'child friendly' library website to promote use
of the service but also to encourage development as readers and users of
ICT. We have found very few examples of good/best practice around, within
local authorities...
We are also struggling with the usual barriers of 'corporate identity'
versus 'lively' and 'engaging' in order to reach our target audience and
wondered whether anyone has any suggestions/advice to offer??
Please pass on to library colleagues
With Many Thanks
Sarah Lewis
Cultural Entitlement Officer
Oxfordshire County Council
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