Members of the Meridian Avenue Firehall in Nashville line up to enjoy the food prepared by the Vanderbilt volunteers on Thanksgiving. More than 600 emergency workers were fed during the day.
The VUMC Web Development Team continues to help departments and other areas in the Medical Center create and maintain Web sites through the use of SiteBuilder, a software program written by Jonathan Dees, Web applications developer, and Jason Coles, senior Web developer.
With the software VUMC departments, centers and labs can easily create and maintain a site that includes the minimum standards for VUMC Web pages.
The software was released to the VUMC community in July, and 80 areas have signed up and received instructions to use the program. Designed to be as easy to use as programs like Microsoft Word, SiteBuilder requires no HTML knowledge. SiteBuilder is also flexible, allowing more advanced users to hardcode items into their software. Two areas that have used SiteBuilder with success are the STEP program (http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=step) and the Pharmacy (http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/pharmacy).
The Web team continues to enhance the tool. Since its release, new templates and software features have been added, including navigation sub-pages, delete and hide links, and bullets.
“Our goal is for everyone to have a Web site and for them to be proud of it,” said Terry Smith, director of the VUMC Web team.
Smith’s role is to help the VUMC community find the best and most cost effective means to develop Web sites. He helps groups develop the information architecture for their sites, negotiates contracts, and works with the group throughout the life of the contract.
“We save the community money, time and hassle,” Smith said. “That’s why we are here.”
SiteBuilder is free to all VUMC departments, centers and labs. To register for a SiteBuilder account, contact Dees, 322-5099, or Coles, 322-2298.