The new Piedmont College Libraries website will bring you new features, new services, new networks, and a new streamlined approach to searching and browsing. In this blog post, I'll go over some of the major developments.
First, let's take a look at the website you're accustomed to:
The primary tabbed searching area is in the center of the page, our blog feed is on the right, and an assortment of helpful links are displayed across the top and bottom.
Here is an image of the new page, incorporating the planned changes:
Right away, you'll notice the most significant addition: a new chat reference window in the bottom-right corner. Whenever a librarian is online (which will be most of the time), you'll have instant access to live reference or research assistance. All you have to do is type your question into the box! You'll be able to use this feature during the Library's hours of operation, all week long, on-campus or off.
The blog feed has been moved to the bottom-left corner, the links (and new social networking icons) to the middle, and the primary search menu is right where it was before. You may notice it has undergone some changes of its own. We analyzed usage statistics, consolidated features, trimmed the fat, and took a more streamlined approach. Searching the Mayflower catalog has never been faster -- type a title, author, or subject into the search box and you have immediate access to books, e-books, videos, and online journals. If you are searching for an individual article, use the second tab to browse resources by subject, type, or title. Same resources, same information, fewer clicks.
We hope these changes make the Library's website an even more efficient research tool for students and faculty. If you have any questions about the redesign or the new chat reference service please feel free to email me at
dgibbs@piedmont.edu.
