Websites

Developing a Web Presence for Your Local Council

Keystone State Reading Association

Leadership Workshop June 2007

Easiest/Simple Approach

KSRA Website

Advantage: Simple, quick and free

Disadvantage: No unique council domain name. Users come to www.ksra.org

Councils already doing this include CARE and Franklin County. (Tri-County used this service 2005-2006).

What you can do:

· Post leaders’ contact information

· Post council schedule of meetings

How to do it:

· Send contact information and schedule of meetings to ECMacD@gmail.com (preferably by August 1).

· Meeting flyers may be posted if sent in Word or Acrobat (pdf) format to ECMacD@gmail.com. Please allow plenty of time for posting.

More Involved Yet More Control

Create your own website:

Advantage: You have total control over how much and what kind of information you post. Provides greatest flexibility.

Disadvantage: Costs money, in many cases, and requires use of software to produce website. More time consuming.

Councils already doing this include: Cambria Area***, Chester County, Delaware County*, Delaware Valley**, Lancaster-Lebanon**, Northeastern Pennsylvania*, Seneca**, Three Rivers, Tri-County.

* Hosted by local IU

** Unique web domain name (ex: www.dvra.org)

*** Hosted by local community college

Domain Name Registration – prices will depend on length of time and whether you utilize other services from the company. However, expect around $75 - $100 for 10 years. (It is recommended you register your domain for as long as possible.)

www.valueweb.com

www.register.com

www.networksolutions.com

Website Hosting – prices will depend on the services you want to include. In most cases, minimal size sites should be adequate for most local councils. Be careful not to fall for “free” services that may require your site to host ads. You have no control over what ads are displayed. Most of these sites will also help with domain registration and provide easy to use website building tools that require little programming.

www.valueweb.com

www.register.com

www.networksolutions.com

www.freeservers.com

smallbussiness.yahoo.com/webhosting

buildyoursite.com

www.angelfire.lycos.com/

office.microsoft.com/en-us/office_live

(Microsoft seems to have a truly free option with no ads)

geocities.yahoo.com

Recommended Website Design Software: Microsoft Expression

Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression are the two leading web design software programs. Most reviews recommend Microsoft Expression as being somewhat easier. Currently, KSRA uses Microsoft FrontPage, which is no longer sold.

Additional Thoughts & Recommendations

The person who takes responsibility for your council’s website should be someone willing to do this for several years.

Careful records should be kept of usernames, passwords, host sites, domain registration information, etc. Several council leaders should have this information.

Council members may know of someone willing to help create your website. However, it is always easiest if, once created, a council leader is available and able to keep the website updated.

Websites should be updated often to encourage people to utilize the site.

An alternative to a public website that would provide small councils a communications tool would be services such as:

Google Groups – groups.google.com

Yahoo Groups – groups.yahoo.com

These are free services that provide online calendars, discussion boards, and file posting. However, “inviting members” may present some issues for a council.

Last Modified 07/17/2008 Website Coordinator: Eric C. MacDonald