The New Westminster Public Library’s website functions like another branch of the library – one that needs a massive overhaul.
The library is seeking approval for $160,000 in this year’s budget for a redesign of its website.
“Our cost estimate was based on a number of local public libraries that have created new websites that would be similar in scope to ours and have been done in the last two years,” said chief librarian Julie Spurrell. “The average was $140,000 to $160,000.”
Spurrell said the project is very complex.
“We are re-architecting it and redesigning it,” she said. “It’s not just changing what the pages look like, it’s changing the way the site actually works, based on the complexity of things we use it for. Our website is really like a branch of the library.”
Spurrell said the website also hosts information from other organizations, so it requires “a very robust” architecture.
Coun. Bill Harper said the website is an invaluable resource for the community. Although the library makes newspapers and periodicals from all over the world available to readers, he said they can be difficult to manoeuvre around online.
While the library can’t improve access from a third-party provider, Spurrell said it can make changes to its website that help improve readers’ online experiences. She noted the library provides community members with access to about 500 newspapers.
Spurrell also hopes the photograph collection and heritage components of the library’s website will be improved as part of the project. The heritage databases were designed and built in-house in 1999 or 2000.
“It’s in very rough shape,” she said of the heritage page. “It is sitting on a very old server that is beyond end-of-life.”
The library will work to keep the cost of the website initiative as low as possible, Spurrell said.
“If it did come in under budget, we just wouldn’t draw on the reserves up to the amount we are budgeting,” said Colleen Ponzini, the city’s manager of financial services. “It would just stay in the reserve.”
Council is still considering its 2017 to 2021 financial plan, which includes the 2017 budget.
