Library Channel produces programs that can be viewed on various platforms and services. However, the central hub is the Librarychannel.fi website. We have implemented updates on the site to further improve the user experience and to meet today’s needs.
The new background colour of the site is black
The most noticeable change on the updated site is the colour scheme. The previously white background colour has been changed to black. Almost all streaming services use a black background colour, so we wanted to provide a familiar user experience to our site visitors through this colour change.
Blogs and other text pages on the Librarychannel.fi website still have a white background. This ensures better readability.
Social media sharing buttons more prominently displayed
Library Channel’s programs can be shared on social media, embedded on various sites and blogs, and freely shown at events or lessons (licensed under CC BY-NC-SA). We have made sharing even easier by adding a Share Program menu below the video that allows one to choose the service to which you want to share the program. Sharing is of course still possible by highlighting the page’s URL and sharing it to the desired location.
Updated names for main categories
The site on the WordPress platform includes all programs produced throughout Library Channel’s history. Much has changed in the world of visual media over Library Channel’s fifteen-year history, and so has the terminology. We’ve updated category names to reflect these changes. An example of this is ‘Library Radio’, now called ‘Podcasts’ in the Finnish user interface. In the early days, hundreds of audio programs in Finnish, produced by libraries and broadcast at set times on local and YLE radio channels, were published on Library Channel. ‘Podcasts’ category now includes both podcasts produced in recent years and all those audio programs published throughout our history.
View counts removed
As part of the update, we’ve removed the visible viewing numbers for all programs. If a user does not accept all cookies, their visits and video views are not recorded in our statistics. Therefore, view counts have not been accurate since the cookie consent query was implemented. So why display numbers that are misleading? However, the website still allows programs to be listed chronologically by release date or in popularity order. The former is factual, while the latter is indicative.
Upcoming performer listing pages
Before Christmas, we will publish alphabetized listing pages that allow users to easily view specific individuals’ appearances on Library Channel. Two lists will be published: one for authors and translators featured in our programs, and another for lecturers in the educational sector. These lists are nearly complete. Library Channel has about 5000 programs, so compiling performer information for these listing pages has been quite a task. We’d like to emphasize that many Library Channel programs are collaborative productions, including contributions from local libraries.
Stay Updated with Library Channel on Social Media
You can easily get information about newly published programs and what we plan to do in the future by following us on social media. We’re happy to receive feedback via email or our social media channels. We’ll soon announce the publication of the aforementioned listing pages among other things. You can then check to see if a particular author you’re interested in appears in our programs and which lecturers are listed. Perhaps you or your colleagues are among them?
You can find Library Channel on:
Photo: Mikko Helander
– Riitta Taarasti, 12.12.2024 –
