New College Web site debuts in February

Library and Information Services (LIS) plans to launch the new College Web site in February. The new site will feature a redesigned home page that focuses on displaying the diversity of the College, while retaining the traditional links to admissions, academics and other popular portals.

Although there is no definite launch date, LIS, which began the project in the fall of 2008, is currently reviewing “certain technical aspects that need to be completed” and “aiming for an early February launch,” according to Dean of Library and Information Services Mike Roy.

The project is formally titled the “Middlebury Web Makeover.” Jason Pontius, lead designer at White Whale, the Oakland, Calif.-based design firm hired for the project, explained in July that the title emphasizes the dramatic nature of the redesign.

“It’s like ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,’ where they tear down walls,” said Pontius.

According to Roy, the redesign of the site has multiple goals.

“[We aim] to improve the ability for the Middlebury community to find the

information they need on the site; to allow for the increased use of media — audio, video, animation — on the site; to make it easier to keep the information on the Web up-to-date; [and] to reflect the dynamic nature of the Middlebury community to the outside world,” wrote Roy in an e-mail.

Roy emphasized the positive impact he hopes the new site will have on the College community.

“We think the Middlebury community will benefit by being able to rely on the web to stay informed, to get their work done and to learn about the myriad opportunities for learning and growth at Middlebury,” said Roy.

Member of the Coordinating Committee Ryan Kellett ’09.5 said the Web site would continue to evolve even after the launch.

“The new site doesn’t just halt progress the day it launches,” he said. “It’s an ongoing process to make the Web site better. Middlebury is doing this project on an accelerated timeline that takes other schools several years to complete. So, I encourage the community to engage with the new site and then tell us how to make it even better.”

Although the site strives to increase the ease and practicality of use for those directly involved within the College, Web designers had to consider a wide range of potential users in order to create a design that satisfies all parties. Designers worked to develop useful features for students, faculty and staff while simultaneously creating a marketing tool for prospective students and others looking to learn more about the College.

The designers worked to provide plenty of opportunities for feedback on ideas. Although the College hired White Whale, which specializes in college and university Web design, to conduct the project, those at Middlebury presented ideas through online surveys, focus groups, information sessions and direct contact with departments to determine their specific needs. The Web Makeover blog at (http://blogs.middlebury.edu/webredo) also features a comments section where anyone can provide input on the design.

The new homepage has replaced the traditional photographs of students and Vermont landscapes with a series of colorful, vertical bars that resemble the equalizer display on a stereo.

Each bar features a story, event, or some type of highlight. Running the cursor over a bar reveals a brief headline, and clicking on the bar displays the full story, which is presented with text, a photograph or even a video.

The design of the site itself also reflects the desire for input. One of the most prominent bars on the equalizer displays invites users to submit stories.

This feature stands out from the rest of the solid colored bars with just a white dotted outline, and clicking on it opens a pop-up window that invites the user to “share your story.”

Design changes are visible in sub-sections of the site, such as the athletics, academics and arts pages, where bold, white headings overlay photographs that can be viewed by scrolling horizontally. The font size of the text has also been increased, making the new site more legible and the overall look appear more modern.