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How to Use Merlin

  1. Go to http://www.cityname.lib.ia.us
    -or-
    Go to http://plone.cityname.lib.ia.us
    in your Web browser where cityname is the name of your city as it appears in your domain name.
  2. In the Login Name field, enter "admin"
  3. In the Password field, enter the admin account's password
  4. Click on the log in button
  5. In the upper right hand corner, click on the site setup link
  6. Under the Add-on Product Configuration section, click on the Merlin link
  7. In the Locator code field enter your library's Locator Code
  8. Click on the next button
  9. In the Plone Site Name enter the preferred name of your Web site. This will probably be the name of the library.
  10. Click the next button
  11. Review the information displayed in the Library Contact Information This information is from the SILO directory. Update the information in the following fields (if necessary)
    • Library Name
    • Address 1
    • Address 2
    • City
    • State
    • Zip Code
    • Phone Number
    • Fax Number
    • Toll Free Phone Number
    • Business Phone Number
    • E-mail Address
  12. Click the next button
  13. Review the information displayed in the Library Hours. This information is from the SILO directory. Update the information (if necessary)
  14. Click the next button
  15. In the Mission Statement field enter your library's Mission Statement
  16. Click the next button
  17. In the Meeting Room field enter a description of the library's public meeting room(s). Include size and space information, who may use the room(s) and how to reserve the room(s)
  18. Click the next button
  19. In the drop down menu, select the number of library trustees on your library's board.
  20. Click the select button
  21. Review the information for each Library Trustee. This information is from the State Library's directory. Enter as much information that  can be made public about that person in the following fields
    • Trustee First Name (required)
    • Trustee Last Name (required)
    • Trustee Title (optional)
    • Trustee Phone Number (optional)
    • Trustee E-Mail (optional)
  22. Click the next button
  23. In the drop down menu, select the number of library staff working at your library. Include the director.
  24. Click the Select button
  25. Enter information about each staff member in the following fields. Enter the library director as the first staff person. Be sure to include as much contact information as possible. Be sure to include "director" in the Staff Member Title field.
    • Staff First Name (required)
    • Staff Last Name (required)
    • Staff Member Title (optional)
    • Staff Phone Number (optional)
    • Staff E-Mail (optional)
  26. Click the next button
  27. In the drop down menu, select the number of library volunteers working at your library
  28. Click the Select button
  29. Enter information about each volunteer in the following fields
    • Volunteer First Name (required)
    • Volunteer Last Name (required)
    • Volunteer Title
    • Volunteer Phone Number
    • Volunteer E-Mail
  30. Click the next button
  31. The Online Catalog URL is the field for the address of the library's catalog that is publicly available on the Web through an automation system. Not all libraries will have this. Enter the fully qualified URL starting with http://
  32. The Ask a Librarian is feedback form that sends e-mail messages to webmaster@cityname.lib.ia.us. Check the box to make this feature available to your customers
  33. The News will gather all news items from your Web site and make these items available to the public. Check the box to make this feature available to your customers. NOTE: No news items will be displayed until after you learn how to add them in the "Customizing Your Web Site" class
  34. The Volunteer Directory will display the list of volunteers entered on a previous page. Check the box to make this list available to your customers
  35. Click the next button
  36. The Library Information content will display under the "About Our Library" tab. Checked boxes indicate that the information will display on the Web site. An unchecked box means the information will not be displayed. Check the box next to each item to make the information available to your customers. The following information can be made available:
    • Mailing Address
    • Phone Number
    • E-mail Address -this is the library's general e-mail address
    • Fax Number
    • Library Board -this must be checked to display Board Members and/or Role of the Board
    • Board Members -this will display a list of library trustees
    • Role of the Board -this will display a page that describes the five primary roles of the Public Library Board
    • Mission -this will display the Mission Statement that was entered earlier
    • Meeting Room -this will display the Meeting Room information that was entered earlier
  37. Click the next button
  38. The Books and Reading content will display under the "Books and Reading" tab. The content was selected and reviewed by State Library Staff. Checked boxes indicate that the information will display on the Web site. An unchecked box means the information will not be displayed. Check the box next to each item to make the information available to your customers. The following information can be made available:
    • Book Reviews - links to various online book review sources
    • Mysteries - links to information about mystery authors and mystery series
    • Romance - links to romance writers' and readers' sites and book suggestions
    • Science Fiction - links to all things Science Fiction
    • Historical Fiction - links for lovers of the Historical Fiction genre
    • Westerns - link to an online magazine promoting Western literature
    • Suggestion for Purchase -a feedback form that sends suggestions for purchase in an e-mail message to webmaster@cityname.lib.ia.us. Check the box to make this feature available to your customers
    • Book Talk - a feedback form that sends customer's thoughts about a book in an e-mail message to webmaster@cityname.lib.ia.us. Check the box to make this feature available to your customers
  39. Click the next button
  40. The Do Research content will display under the "Do Research" tab. The content was selected and reviewed by State Library Staff. Checked boxes indicate that the information will display on the Web site. An unchecked box means the information will not be displayed. Check the box next to each item to make the information available to your customers. The following information can be made available:
    • HealthInfoIowa - A consumer based Web site that provides a single point of access to national, state, regional and local health care resources
    • Iowa Center for the Book - This program promotes books, reading, libraries, and literacy
    • Iowa Publications Online - An electronic depository for documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa state agencies
    • Iowa Locator - The statewide union catalog used by the public and libraries to locate library items
    • Iowa Heritage Project - An online repository of Iowa history and culture
    • State Data Center - A source for population, housing, business and government statistics about Iowa
    • Subject Guides - Useful sites to locate information on the Internet
    • WorldCat - OCLC's online catalog of over 1 million library items
  41. Click the next button
  42. The EBSCOhost via your library card will display a link that takes your customers directly to the EBSCOhost service Login page. Your customers will need to enter their library card number. Check the box to make this service available to your customers. If you check this box, you must also enter your library's EBSCOhost Customer ID in the next field
  43. In the EBSCOhost Customer ID field enter your library's EBSCOhost Customer ID. This number usually begins with an "s"
  44. The EBSCOhost via user ID and Password will display a link that takes your customers to the EBSCOhost service Login page. Your customers will need to enter a User ID and Password. Check the box to make this service available to your customers
  45. Click the next button
  46. The Our Community content will display behind the "Community" link in the footer. Checked boxes indicate that the information will display on the Web site. An unchecked box means the information will not be displayed. Check the box next to each item to make the information available to your customers. The following information can be made available:
    • Who We Are - information provided by the State Date Center about your community, includes such things as population, age, race and households and family
    • Link to City Website - this will display a link to your city's Web site if your city has a Web site registered with the Iowa League of Cities
    • Link to County Website - this will display a link to your county's Web site if your county has a Web site registered with the Iowa State Association of Counties
  47. Click the next button
  48. The Contact Us content will display behind the "Contact Us" link in the footer. Checked boxes indicate that the information will display on the Web site. An unchecked box means the information will not be displayed. Check the box next to each item to make the information available to your customers. The following information can be made available:
    • Library Director - this will display the contact information for the library director from the information entered earlier
    • Staff Directory - this will display the staff information that was entered earlier
  49. Click on the next button
  50. The Publish All Your Site Content? validation box asks if you're ready to publish your Web site. Use the drop down menu to select "Yes"
  51. Click on the finish button
  52. Wait several minutes while your Web site is published.
  53. The wizard will respond with "Site content updated." in an orange box. Follow the directions to Click Here To See Your New Website
  54. Near the upper right corner click on the Log out link

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