In the latest issue of Library Technology Reports, Building the Digital Branch: Guidelines for Transforming Your Library’s Website, David Lee King explores the idea of the digital branch—a library website that is a vital, functional resource for patrons and enhances the library’s place within its community. The report outlines an efficient process for creating a digital branch, from the initial phases of gathering information and sketching out a design, to winning approval from management, hiring qualified IT staff, and maintaining and upgrading the site once it is built. Throughout the report, the author regularly uses his experience at his own library as an example of how the process can unfold and what pitfalls to avoid.

If you don't have direct access to a copy of this useful publication, it just happens to be obtainable via ProQuest, which is available to most libraries in Washington. A table of contents with direct links to ProQuest are found below the divide (read the rest of the entry), but keep in mind that you will need to authenticate in order to obtain access.

1. Credits
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   Anonymous. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 2 (1 page)
2. Table of contents
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   Anonymous. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 3 (2 pages)
3. What Is a Digital Branch, Anyway?
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 5 (6 pages)
4. Gathering Information
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 10 (4 pages)
5. The Planning Process
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 13 (4 pages)
6. Building the Branch
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 16 (8 pages)
7. What to Do Once Your Site Is Built
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 23 (8 pages)
8. Creating Community at the Digital Branch
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 30 (5 pages)
9. Planning for the Next Phase
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   David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 34 (4 pages)
10. Resources
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    David Lee King. Library Technology Reports. Chicago: Aug/Sep 2009. Vol. 45, Iss. 6; p. 37 (3 pages)