JOE's New Look

This issue's "Editor's Page" is kind of "Webby," and what could be more appropriate for a Web-based journal like JOE?

JOE's New Look

By the time you've gotten here, I hope at least some of you have noticed JOE's new look. What's new about it? It's leaner, cleaner, and less cluttered.

Something I especially like about it is that the baby hasn't been thrown out with the bathwater. That is, it's still recognizably a journal site and still recognizably JOE--same JOE blue and same JOE logo. The look isn't drastically different. It's just better. (One of my design colleagues at Purdue would say that the site's "equity" has been maintained.)

But the look isn't the only or even the best thing about the redesigned site. Ohio State's Robyn Ness, JOE Web developer, has also reorganized the site to anticipate the needs of our different audiences: JOE readers, both longtime and one-time; prospective authors; reviewers; institutional representatives; and board members.

The menu on the left groups the site's pages into sections that take these audiences to what we think they want to see. And gone are the numerous (11!) and somewhat willy-nilly links on the main body of the JOE home page. In their place are five links that let readers see the current issue of JOE; search the JOE archives by term or phrase, or by issue; subscribe (or unsubscribe) to JOE; and make a comment to the editor.

Cleaner look. Simpler and clearer structure. Audience orientation. Easier navigation. JOE exists on the Web, and we try to make JOE work on the Web, too. If you have any suggestions to further improve the site, you can contact me at the address below or, better yet, contact Robyn Ness at robyn@joe.org.

Comment on the Commentary

The author of the Commentary in this month's issue, "Global in Our Backyard," writes that she hopes that "we are growing to see that international Extension exists in everyone's backyard and that JOE can provide a forum for exchanging ideas that improve the ability of Extension professionals to be responsive to local issues that have global impact and to global issues that require local action."

We hope so, too.

The wide-ranging articles in JOE certainly make it a forum for sharing ideas, but it's the Discussion Forum that gives Extension professionals the opportunity to exchange ideas--and so far you aren't doing it.

There were two entries in the February issue's Discussion Forum. One was a compliment. The other posed a question: "If someone you knew were intent on starting a career with CES, what would you tell them?" No one answered.

We'll continue doing what we can to make the JOE Discussion Forum a going concern. That's yet another way to "make JOE work on the Web." But we could use your help.

Laura Hoelscher, Editor
joe-ed@joe.org