In January, the Walden University Library launched a redesigned Web site and a number of additional enhancements to its offerings.
Sue Davidsen, director of library services, explains that the Web site redesign was based on usability research and offers easier navigation. “We’ve standardized the site so that every page looks the same,” she says. “It’s more intuitive—once you learn one page, you know how the whole thing works—and it’s easier to tell that you’re on a Walden site.”
Asking Reference Questions
The redesign includes a standardized “Ask a Librarian” button on each page, linking to a form for submitting reference questions. “It gives us all the information we need so we can help the student faster,” Davidsen says. In addition, a news feed on the site highlights new library offerings, services, events, and other information.
Logging In
A new, more secure authentication server means that students can log in easily through the Walden Library link on their Personal Start Page, without the hassle of an extra password. “Everyone authenticates at the highest level, and then they’re automatically logged in to everything the library has to offer,” Davidsen explains. Similarly, faculty can easily log in through their faculty portal, and staff can log in through their eCampus account or MyLaureate.
Davidsen is pleased with the positive feedback already garnered by the site, saying, “Our numbers are really high right now, so students are using it.”
More Ebooks and Full-Text Journals
The library has also added some 5,000 full-text journals and 11,000 ebooks. “We’re subscribing to one major service—ebrary—and many of our KAM authors are there,” says Davidsen. “Students can get those on their desktop immediately—there’s no wait.” The service allows users to highlight parts of the text in different colors, make notes, and grab quotations along with automatically generated citations. The library also purchased PsycBOOKs from the American Psychological Association and a public policy database called PolicyFile.
Residency Sessions
“We’re dedicated to helping Walden students get the most benefit from our resources, while continuing to add to those resources,” Davidsen says. To that end, the library team will offer new library skill sessions at Walden residencies. The skill sessions will debut at the Lansdowne, Va., residency in April, and address the topics of education and government. In the future, the selection of sessions will expand to address all of Walden’s educational arenas.
Other future library offerings will include an instant message reference service, improved search engine capabilities, and Web sites, arranged by degree program, that have been vetted by librarians for usefulness and relevance.
International Status
Finally, the Walden Library is now a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). This membership gives the Walden Library an international status and enables Walden’s participation in IFLA's global network of libraries and library experts.
Questions?
If you have questions or feedback, contact the library at waldenlb@waldenu.edu or 1-800-437-0501.
March Ponder front page
