Ensure access is just a couple clicks away

If students, teachers, and parents cannot access the DLC Library resources as quickly as Google, then Google will likely continue to be their "default" research website.

A good rule of thumb is that when a student or teacher sits down at a computer, DLC resources should be no more than a couple clicks away.

Work with your district IT staff to set up the default webpage that loads on a school computer to include a link to DLC resources. It is also possible to put the DLC Library search box directly on your school or library webpage.

Here are instructions for linking to the DLC.

Below are a few examples of DLC schools linking to the DLC.

• Nathan Hale High School
• La Venture Middle School
• Oroville School District
• Ridgecrest Elementary School
• Medical Lake Middle School

What Works

I do the following three things:

1. Provide a link to the DLC from my library website
2. Provide students and teachers with handout sheets listing the database resources along with the necessary username/password information and step-by-step instructions for accessing the resources from school or home
3. Show students and teachers how to access the resources every chance I get.

— Eve Datisman, Port Angeles High School

Our district librarians advocated for the creation of a 'student research' page. Our IT department made this the students' default page when they click on the Internet icon on their desktops. The page includes links to our databases, library catalog, schools, library homepages, citation information, etc. To see an example of the elementary or secondary student research page, click on the links below.

• http://www.lkwash.wednet.edu/elementaryhome.asp
• http://www.lkwash.wednet.edu/secondaryhome.asp

Not all schools in my district subscribe to the DLC, so I put a link to the DLC directly on my school library page: http://schools.lwsd.org/JHS/library/Index.htm.

— Nancy Kuta, Juanita High School

Articles & Resources

"Going Gaga over Google"
Walter Minkel. School Library Journal. New York: Sep 2003.Vol.49, Iss. 9; pg. 37 (Proquest)

"Web Development over the Past 10 Years"
Darlene Fichter. Online. Medford: Nov/Dec 2005.Vol.29, Iss. 6; pg. 48, 3 pgs (Proquest)

"Does Your Library's Web Site Pass the Usability Test?"
Janet L Balas. Computers in Libraries. Westport: Oct 2005.Vol.25, Iss. 9; pg. 36, 3 pgs (Proquest)

"Remaking Your Web Site"
Walter Minkel. School Library Journal. New York: May 2002.Vol.48, Iss. 5; pg. 46, 4 pgs (Proquest)