This eCourse is now closed. We plan on offering the eCourse again soon. If you’d like to an email alert when we schedule the next session, please complete this form.
Asynchronous eCourse beginning March 7, 2016 and continuing for 6 weeks
An ALA Editions eCourse facilitated by Amanda L. Goodman
Please note: Your purchase at the ALA Store is only Step 1 of a 2-Step Registration process! Upon purchase you will receive a registration PDF in the form of a digital download. This PDF contains a link to our Registration page and a password. You must download this PDF and follow the instructions in order to complete the registration. The download link can be found on the final confirmation screen after you complete your purchase, and may also be accessed from your Account History. Confirmation with login instructions, reminders, and alerts will go to the email address used in the registration.
This eCourse is licensed for a single user. For pricing on bulk purchases in excess of $1,000, please contact us for more information.
Estimated Hours of Learning: 30
Certificate of Completion available upon request
Learning outcomes:
- Ability to use WordPress to build and manage your library website
- Understanding how WordPress organizes content types
- Skills to effectively apply your WordPress knowledge to library content
- Ability to use navigation and other features to create a user-friendly website structure
WordPress is an open-source content management system that helps you create, develop, and maintain a website. Its intuitive interface means that there’s no need to learn complex programming languages--and because it’s free, you can do away with purchasing expensive web development software.
Skilled web developer Amanda Goodman will guide you in applying WordPress tools and functionality to library content. You will learn the nuts and bolts of building a library website that is both user friendly and easy to maintain.
eCourse outline
Getting started
- What is a Content Management System
- Why WordPress?
- Installing WordPress
- Understanding WordPress files and directory structure
- WordPress community & help resources
WordPress Administration Dashboard
- Working with the WordPress admin dashboard
- Recommended settings
- Security issues
Adding content and selecting a theme
- Types of content: posts, pages, media, links
- Categories and Information architecture considerations
- Adding and editing content
- Media uploader
- Using themes to change the look and feel of your site
Custom menus, navigation options, and widgets
- Using the custom menus features
- Using widgets for navigation and links
- More widgety goodness …
- Adding content from third party sites
Adding functionality with plugins
- Installing plugins
- Basic ‘must-have’ plugins
- Library-related plugins
Engaging with Customers
- Comments and discussion options
- Building forms
Digging deeper into themes and customization
- Editing php files
- Editing CSS
- Child themes
- Page layouts
How this eCourse Works
The eCourse begins on March 7, 2016. Your participation will require approximately five hours a week, at times that fit your schedule. There are no live sessions. All activities take place on the website, and you will be expected to
- Read, listen to or view online content
- Post to online discussion boards
- Complete weekly assignments or activities
Instructor Amanda Goodman will monitor discussion boards regularly during the six-week period, lead group discussions, and will also answer individual questions. All interaction will take place on the eCourse site, which will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's recommended that students log into the site on March 7 or within a few days for an overview of the content and to begin the first lesson.
User Requirements
Participants will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection for online message boards participation, viewing online video, listening to streaming audio (mp3 files), and downloading and viewing PDFs and PowerPoint files. ALA Editions eCourses are fully compatible with Windows and MacOs.
At Your Service
Accommodations are offered based on user needs. For transcription or other accessibility requests, please contact us at editionscoursehelp@ala.org.
About the Instructor
Amanda L. Goodman is the User Experience Librarian at Darien Library, where her projects have included redesigning the library’s website, creating marketing materials, and co-managing adult technology education classes. As an MLIS student, she redesigned the Library and Information Studies’ website at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro using WordPress. It became a model for other UNCG departments’ websites. She blogs about her work at A Ghost of Daisies.
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