Abstract

In a technology-driven world, libraries must have quality ­websites that deliver meaningful information in a structured way. Measuring the ease of access to information through website evaluation studies can help site creators assess the efficacy of presented information. This study, performed in 2018, recognizes the importance of maintaining quality ­websites for successful communication of information to the public. It replicates Powers’s 2010 content analysis of Pennsylvania public libraries’ websites. The author employs Powers’s evaluation checklist and seeks to discover how current levels of web presence for Pennsylvania public libraries ­compare with the results of Powers’s original study. A sufficient number of websites were reviewed to allow for generalizability to all Pennsylvania public libraries. This study finds that public libraries’ web presence in Pennsylvania has increased since Powers evaluated websites in 2010, in terms of the range of available information. In addition, the 2018 results show which website development areas public libraries must improve in to maintain relevance.

摘要

在技​​术驱动的世界中，图书馆必须拥有高质量的网站，以结构化的方式提供有意义的信息。通过网站评估研究来评估信息获取的难易程度，可以帮助网站创建者评估所呈现信息的功效。这项于2018年进行的研究认识到维护优质网站对成功向公众传播信息的重要性。它复制了Powers 2010年对宾夕法尼亚州公共图书馆网站的内容分析。作者使用Powers的评估清单，试图发现宾夕法尼亚州公共图书馆当前的网络存在水平与Powers的原始研究结果相比如何。审查了足够数量的网站，以使所有宾夕法尼亚州公共图书馆都具有普遍性。这项研究发现，自从Powers于2010年评估网站以来，就可用信息的范围而言，宾夕法尼亚州公共图书馆的网络存在有所增加。此外，2018年的结果显示了公共图书馆必须改善哪些网站开发领域以保持相关性。