Rick Stiebel/News Gazette staff
The early reviews say the library’s new website is an instant bestseller.
The popularity of the Greater Victoria Public Library’s new virtual branch website (gvpl.ca) has already exceeded expectations, said Jessica Woolard, communications officer for the GVPL. “We have truly been amazed by the response,” she said regarding the Aug. 22 launch of the site.
“You can read, watch, learn, listen and play 24 hours a day,” Woolard said. “It’s become one of our most visited sites in a matter of days.”
The mobile-responsive design of the new website gives the GVPL the opportunity to showcase its digital and physical collections and hundreds of free programs for all ages. “It’s a big change, and we’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response. Comments on Facebook and from patrons in person is that it’s well thought out and they’re able to find what they’re looking for. And that’s exactly what we were looking for,” Woolard underlined.
The collaborative project has been in the works since the end of last year as a way to grow the library’s online community. The GVPL’s old site received 4.5 million visits in 2016 alone. Library staff hosted user tester groups with a beta site and obtained valuable feedback from the community which was incorporated into the site, Woolard explained. The library’s catalogue – the system for managing accounts and placing holds on physical items – was updated in 2015 and remains unchanged, so users don’t need to adapt to a new catalogue.
The launch campaign features a “super cute little pink brain” that is being changed by books, reading and information. There are also floor decals in all branches promoting the new site. You can check out a video at youtube/5s5VE8cXtzw.