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Evaluating the Web Sites of County Public Libraries in New Jersey for Hispanic Accessibility

Evaluating the Web Sites of County Public Libraries in New Jersey for Hispanic Accessibility. A Graduate Thesis by Geraldine Paolini May 9th, 2005. Statement of the Problem.

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Evaluating the Web Sites of County Public Libraries in New Jersey for Hispanic Accessibility

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  1. Evaluating the Web Sites of County Public Libraries in New Jersey for Hispanic Accessibility A Graduate Thesis by Geraldine Paolini May 9th, 2005

  2. Statement of the Problem • Due to a language barrier, Hispanics [anyone who is dominantly Spanish-Speaking] may not be able to access information on library web sites. • Hispanics make up 13.3% of the population in New Jersey. • Libraries should provide equal access for it’s services to the community.

  3. Purpose and Research Questions • To evaluate New Jersey county public library web sites to determine if selected access criteria were present. • What are the criteria for evaluating library web sites for Hispanic accessibility? • How accessible are the 20 New Jersey county library, or their equivalent, web sites to Hispanics?

  4. Most Important Related Studies • Reinford • Shapiro • Zelter & Polk

  5. Design • Survey-Observational Research • Survey/Descriptive • 20 county public libraries in New Jersey, or their equivalent, except for Salem. • Criteria list

  6. Findings • Newark Public Library- Essex County • Cumberland County • Most criteria not present on web sites • Spanish-language databases (highest frequency) Least frequent • Spanish site mirroring English • Language Link in visible area

  7. Findings Continued • Local info. about area • All Spanish-language resources linked on one page • Google en Espanol or other • Hotmail en Espanol or other • Spanish-language reference support

  8. Findings continued Criteria with zero frequency • Dewey classification explained • New titles reviewed in Spanish • Pathfinders in Spanish • Suggestion box in Spanish

  9. Conclusions • NJLA, ALA or REFORMA checklist • Libraries with highest % Hispanics in country • Not every county has a county library • Web sites down

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