Click here for online instructions and tutorials for PLOW Websites
Want to get a PLOW Web site?
Contact a District Library Resource Tech to request a PLOW website. A PLOW website can be created and delivered at any time. The District LRT will assess your library's readiness and make the necessary preparation for the new website.
To participate in the program, your library must:
- Have high speed Internet access and continue to pay for it
- Complete the required training
- Be able to devote at least one staff hour per week to maintain and update your Web site
If you have questions please contact Marie Harms, 800-248-4483 or marie.harms@iowa.gov
The Web site and e-mail hosting service is provided free of charge for Iowa public libraries that:
- Want to improve library service to their community by having their own Web site, but don’t know how
- Already have a Web site and want to make it even better
- Want to manage their own e-mail accounts and offer library staff and trustees their own e-mail address
The Web sites are preloaded with a variety of local information specific to each library, including links to local catalogs, location, hours, contacts, and trustees. Library customers will also have access to state-wide resources, such as EBSCOHost and FirstSearch databases, through their local library’s Web site. As library staff members are trained and become comfortable with their library’s Web site, they will be able to add their own content.
Through the e-mail hosting service, each public library will be able to have consistent and stable e-mail addresses and manages their own accounts.
In addition, there is technical support provided by the district library resource techs and available to public libraries by phone, e-mail and some in-person visits. Training is provided with remote computer sharing, phone and e-mail, through once-a-month webinars, individual in-person training at your library and in-person classes for hands-on learning.
History
- PLOW was the most visible part of a $749,000 Staying Connected grant awarded to the State Library of Iowa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to sustain and expand public access computing in Iowa public libraries.
- In PLOW Round 1, the State Library provided 275 libraries with their own Web sites and stable and consistent E-mail services. In PLOW Round 2, there were approximately 45 participants. PLOW Round 3 had 37 libraries.
- All PLOW library websites were upgraded to Plone version 3.3 in June 2009
- All PLOW library website were upgraded to Plone version 4.0 in October 2013
- PLOW Round 4 began in February 2010 with 38 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 5 began in February 2011 with 14 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 6 began in February 2012 with 16 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 7 began in February 2013 with 13 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 8 began in February 2014 with 17 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 9 began in February 2015 with 7 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 10 began in February 2016 with 14 libraries participating.
- PLOW Round 11 began in February 2017 with 7 libraries participating.