Hellertown Public Library Unveils New Website

The has an updated website with a new look and a new logo.

Robin Rotherham, director of the library, said the new feature-loaded website has “zoomed us into the 21st century.”

The site is still a work in progress, she said, but the library staff couldn’t be happier with the results. They began the updating process in January, and just six months later launched their new site.

The library website's address is www.hellertownlibrary.org.

Rotherham said that she and Loni Hahn, a library staff member, researched styles and colors for the site by comparing other websites with one another and looking through templates. They ultimately turned to Bob Rynkiewicz of Joomla Connections in New Jersey to design the website.

“He understands what a library needs on its website,” Rotherham said.

Rynkiewicz is a librarian in Atlantic City, N.J., who created Joomla as his retirement business, Rotherham explained. He has designed websites for five other libraries and many businesses.

Rotherham said they wanted the site to be user friendly, so it could adequately serve the community. Likewise, they wanted their new logo to reflect their commitment to the community, she said.

The figures in the new logo represent the people in the community, while the open book represents not only the library, but also the green hills that surround the Saucon Valley. The yellow bars in the logo represent sun rays reaching out to the people, Rotherham said.

The logo is the work of graphic designer Marie Dirvin.

In terms of the color scheme for the new site, Rotherham said that “the colors were a work in progress." The colors that were eventually chosen are blue, yellow and green.

“We like them," she said. "We think they are pleasing to the eye against the white background.”

Hahn said that, for her, the best thing about the new site is “that it’s not our old site.”  

Some of the features yet to be added to the site are the Children’s Services and Adult Services pages, as well as the ability to make donations, buy tickets to events and pay library fines through PayPal.

Rotherham said the main idea behind the website's updating was to make usage of the library very convenient. When it is all done, people will be able to leave comments about the site online, she added.

Rotherham said her favorite aspect of the library’s new site is the online catalog, which allows patrons to search for materials by subject, author, title, keyword or series.

She thinks that the catalog will enable people to search for books and materials easily and keep track of the items they have out on loan.

“It’s empowering people to control their library account,” Rotherham said.

Other categories accessible via the new homepage include Library Information, Teen Zone, Online Databases, Events and a "Support Your Library" category with links to information about how to donate books and contribute matching gifts.