Rachel Singer Gordon names sites she finds useful, impressive, or just plain fun

Rachel Singer Gordon Head, Computer Services, Franklin Park Public Library, IL (netConnect) -- netConnect, 4/15/2001

A site I use frequently in my job as library webmaster:
Alertbox: Jakob Nielsen's Column on Web Usability
www.useit.com/alertbox
These biweekly columns are necessary reading for all librarians with web site design responsibility. Nielsen's hobbyhorse is usability, which makes him sometimes overly dogmatic but always thought-provoking when it comes to building a site your patrons will like and use.

A great site that few colleagues know about:
Phil Agre's Home Page
dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre
These links to publications from UCLA professor of information studies Phil Agre are a good starting point for thinking about the profession of librarianship. I'd especially recommend "Networking on the Network," "The End of Information and the Future of Libraries," and "How To Help Someone Use a Computer."

A site that helps me keep current:
LISNews.com
www.lisnews.com
LISNews compiles library and book-related news from around the net. One great feature is the ability to interact with other librarians by commenting on both news stories and the subsequent responses.

A site that entertains me:
User Friendly The Comic Strip--The Daily Static
www.userfriendly.org/static
This daily comic strip is best appreciated by systems people (or those thrust into a tech support role). Also, don't miss the "Link of the Day" at the bottom of the page--there's no telling where you might end up.