New NLS website launch

7/11/17

Shared by Denise Avant, NFBI President via IL-Talk

SUBJECT: New NLS website launch

The new NLS website is currently scheduled to go live at the longstanding NLS URL of www.loc.gov/nls this coming Sunday, July 9th. <x-apple-data-detectors://15> There will be no change to the URL for the homepage.  Your bookmarks to the longstanding NLS URL for the homepage will still function correctly and take you to the new site.  The longstanding URL for BARD login will also remain exactly the same.  No changes have been made to BARD or the NLS catalog.  The site has also undergone repeated accessibility and screen reader testing here at NLS and out in the field.

Please be aware of the following issues and activities during the switchover period of three days, from Sunday the 9th through Tuesday the 11th. <x-apple-data-detectors://16>

1. The old website-the one we’re all familiar with-will continue to exist through October (at least) and our patrons can continue to use it while they gradually become familiar with the new site.

Its URL, however, will change: the old site will no longer be at www.loc.gov/nls, but rather at www.loc.gov/nlsold .  There will be a prominent link on the homepage of the new website-on the left-hand side, under the box of “Quick Links”-so that patrons can jump back to the homepage of the old website if they wish to.

If they are on the old site, there will be an equally prominent link so they can jump to the new site.

2. On the new website, the “Search” field at the right top edge will be optimized only once the switch of URLs is made on Sunday and Monday.  For that reason, it may be a couple days before it is fully functioning.  Patrons can use built-in navigation on the new site to find what they are looking for during this brief period.  We appreciate your patience during the time required for the “Search” to become fully optimized for searching the new site.

3. During the same three-day period, for the most visited areas of our website, we will be embedding new internal URLs and redirected URLs so that patrons can easily find what they are looking for.  Again, we appreciate your patience as this process is completed.

4. We will be grateful for your feedback about any issues you encounter, or suggestions you can make.  Please send them to dpel@loc.govand mschw@loc.gov .  We will log and prioritize those changes we cannot make immediately so that we can iterate on them continuously in the weeks to come.

For more information contact:

David Pelizzari dpel@loc.gov

Mark Schwartz mschw@loc.gov

Publications and Media Section