Originally published on SeacoastOnline.com
COVID-19 has afforded Library staff much-needed time to reorganize our materials and refresh our displays. But it has also given us time to update our digital presence. If, in the past week, you’ve spent any time reserving books or checking out online content from York Public Library, you might have noticed something different: an entirely new website.
The Library has retired our old URL, the cumbersome www.york.lib.me.us (which dates back to the nineties) and upgraded to yorkpubliclibrary.org. We delight in sharing our new “friendly” web address; as much as we love to chat with our patrons over the phone, we aren’t sad to leave behind the part of the conversation where we attempt to explain the unique pattern of our website and email addresses. (“W-W-W dot YORK dot L-I-B, you know, the first three letters of the word LIBRARY; dot M-E, like the abbreviation for the state of Maine; dot U-S, as in United States.”) Despite our concerted enunciation, deliberate emphases, and occasional shouting, it invariably requires repeating.
And not just our web address has been updated. The entirely new website — a quarantine project — sleekly but comprehensively features our materials, services, events, and resources. As this Shelf Life column goes to print, our email addresses are also in transition to our new domain.
But don’t worry, if you send an email to us at our previous address, we’ll still receive your message; and if you visit our old website, you’ll automatically be redirected to our new one. You won’t get lost.
Our good news gets even better: situated in the upper left corner of our site is our bright, shiny new logo. It features bold, block lettering with waves below — or are they the pages of a book? It’s actually both, cleverly woven into one whimsical design. We have replaced our teal and navy colors in favor of gold and shades of blue. The logo is the creation of Kristin McDonald and her team at Creative Concepts Inc., just down the street from the Library on Long Sands Road here in York.
The logo dazzles — but when you can tear your eyes away from it, you’ll note the clean and easy layout of our website. Information you need is at the ready, including quick links to the Library Catalog, Event Calendar, Children’s and Young Adults sections, Museum Passes, and our ever popular online platforms, including Hoopla and RBDigital.
Just below that, upcoming events can be filtered by audience (Adult, Young Adult, Children’s, etc.) with a space for upcoming featured programs. And to the right, all of the Library’s latest news, all in one place.
There’s much to discover on our new site. Did you know there are FOUR ways YPL can help you find your great next read? And that you can support the Library online? In a first for the Library’s website, we have even provided a detailed history of the Library and the York Public Library Association. While the original library building was constructed in 1926, York was a book-loving community long before that.
We’ll leave you to explore — and perhaps learn something new about York Public Library while you’re reserving your next read or streaming a movie on Hoopla. It all awaits you at yorkpubliclibrary.org.
