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COPYRIGHT 2006 American Library Association
In August 2004 I was sitting with Bill Ott and Mary Ellen Quinn, taking notes as we discussed the creation of a Web-based complement to Booklist. We agreed on the need to meet the expectations of librarians who use the print magazine for selection, collection development, and readers' advisory. We also talked about the possibility of broadening the audience for our reviews and features to include library patrons and the general public. We debated whether this new publication would be a magazine or a database, how people would use it, and what it would look like. I even drew a couple of simple sketches showing how we might lay out the landing pages.
It was an exciting time, and we were brimming with optimism. We wondered if we might launch in June 2005--what better time to begin an exciting new venture than Booklist's 100-year anniversary?
As it turns out, building a combination Web site and database with more than 100,000 reviews and 2,500 features dating back to September 1991, all highly searchable and creatively linked, rich in dynamic Web-only content, is a lot harder than it looks. But on March 22, 2006, we launched Booklist Online (BOL), and, if I do say so myself, it looks pretty good. Our ragtag team of editors, with the able assistance of our developers, CoeTruman Technologies, has created something that we can be proud of--and you can use.
Booklist Online. [Internet database]. 2006. Booklist, call 800-545-2433, ext. 5715 for pricing [http://www.booklistonline .coin/]. (Last accessed: 5 minutes ago)....
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