A Note for VUMC Leaders

The process of rebuilding a site as complex and distributed as VUMC's is a difficult one. Our focus has been to create a set of high level pages that directs visitors to relevant content as quickly as possible, while leaving the maintenance and ownership of content in the hands of the many organizational entities within the medical center.

The biggest change in the site is not readily apparent just by browsing the pages. On the upper right hand side of this page you will notice box labeled "Find a VUMC Site". By clicking the down arrow on the box, you will see a list of categories: hospitals, clinics, research centers, schools, as well as several others. Selecting a category will generate a listing of VUMC entities, or "subsites", that comprise the category. This feature is unique in that it is supported by a database. The important thing to know is that if your organization does not have an entry in the database, it will have more limited visibility from the VUMC site.

The subsite database that supports this critical feature is far from complete. We recognize that more categories will have to be added and that most organizational entities within the medical center are not currently represented in the database.

Please take time to review the new web site with a critical eye toward how your organization is represented and send us your comments. If you would like your organization to have an entry in the subsite database, send us your site name, web address, and the name, phone number, and email address of a contact person within your organization. Emails may be directed to <newsite@vumclib.mc.vanderbilt.edu> or you may call Terry Smith at 343-1659.

The collaboration between Medical Center Communications and the Eskind Biomedical Library Web Team is aimed at making the VUMC home page an effective portal to web-based content in the medical center, and we look forward to working with you to make it happen. Please bear with us during the next few weeks as we make the transition to the new web site.