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G2S Project Code: 2015-MA-76092
State: Massachusetts
Fiscal Year: 2015
Grantee
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Project Director
Director Name: Paul Kissman
Director Phone: 617-725-1860 x 238
Director Email: paul.kissman@state.ma.us
General Information
Title: Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Web Site Support
State Project Code: 16.SP.02
Start Date: 10/01/2015
End Date: 09/30/2016
Abstract: The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners provides an agency web site at http://mass.gov/mblc. This project paid for server hosting and maintenance, backups, internet service, and a content management system.  The agency site provides significant information about all of the programs and services provided by the MBLC, including the statewide library directory, library and remote access to statewide licensed eContent and library systems, and the Commonwealth Catalog, data sets from the state aid and data coordination unit, minutes of board meetings, a special collections directory system, information about libraries offering ESL and literacy services, and many other items. The agency web site also facilitates about 45 electronic distribution lists used by libraries from all over to state to communicate with each other.

During the program year MBLC finalized design of the Agency website with contractor MRW, and completed it's new information architecture and content strategy.  By the end of the year all core templates had been built out in the content management system by Beacon Technologies, and over 50% of the retained content had been rewritten and migrated over to the new site.
 
The Agency site (http://mass.gov/mblc) fits into an over set assets for communicating with library stakeholders and residents. In addition to the Agency site, MBLC runs a consumer portal (http://mass.gov/libraries), LibGuides and LibAnswers, social media accounts, blogs, and the email distribution lists mentioned above.

State Goal: Library Capacity Building
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$177,368.00
$0.00
$0.00
$177,368.00
Intent(s)
Improve library operations.
Civic Affairs
Library Infrastructure & Capacity
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Redesign MBLC main agency website
Narrative: Through a contract with MRW connected, MBLC redesigned its primary agency website (http://mblc.state.ma.us/ or http://mass.gov/mblc) to be user-centric, and fully responsive.  This website provides essential information about statewide services and MBLC programs to libraries of all types as well as library consortia throughout the state

Intent: Improve library operations.

Activity: Planning & Evaluation
Mode: Prospective
Format: Third party


Quantity
Number of evaluations and/or plans funded: 1
Number of funded evaluation and/or plans completed: 1


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 371
Academic Libraries: 130
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 9
Special Libraries: 189
School Libraries: 934
Other: 0
Question 1: I believe the planning and evaluation addresses library needs.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: I am satisfied with the extent to which the plan or evaluation addresses library needs.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I believe the information from the plan or evaluation will be applied to address library needs.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
The new web site design is not yet live, whose anticipated rollout is set for early in calendar year 2017. Analytics (see attached graph) do show higher page views and a lower (better) bounce rate as compared with the previous year. This may be due to an interim, stop-gap redesign that made the site significantly more responsive, with a cleaner homepage, and improvements to web forms and navigational elements.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:

Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:

Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: web sites