Just a reminder that county websites must be updated at least twice a year per the USGenWeb requirements. Therefore the last update date on our websites should not be more than 6 months old. And according to the MTGenWeb Policies page, it is *suggested* that last update dates be "within a month or so" (see below). With those statements in mind, the County of Excellence rules will be updated. To be eligible for the MTGenWeb COE award, county websites that have a last update date on them must have dates that are no older than 6 months. I appreciate your assistance in making sure your county website is compliant with all rules. Shirley >From the Policies page: 10.*IT IS ESSENTIAL* that your site be well-maintained and updated as frequently as possible. Every site needs to have some basic research resources, i.e. Courthouse offices addresses, phone numbers, fees, etc., library, historical society, newspaper, cemetery names & addresses, funeral homes, etc. Many have also provided a bibliography page showing reference books available for their county and much more. Your site needs to be checked often for bad links, new ideas, etc., and the update "date" changed. We do check these and inquire of county coordinators if we find sites that have not been updated within a month or so. If you are ill, going on vacation, or having some temporary problems, the State Coordinator would like to know and, of course, we make exceptions for those times.

Wow that must be a new policy. So happy to see that. Unfortunately there are counties in states out there that haven't been updated since 2008. Karen On Sat, Jun 7, 2014 at 9:55 PM, Shirley Cullum <[email protected]> wrote: > Just a reminder that county websites must be updated at least twice a year > per the USGenWeb requirements. Therefore the last update date on our > websites should not be more than 6 months old. And according to the > MTGenWeb Policies page, it is *suggested* that last update dates be "within > a month or so" (see below). With those statements in mind, the County of > Excellence rules will be updated. To be eligible for the MTGenWeb COE > award, county websites that have a last update date on them must have dates > that are no older than 6 months. > > I appreciate your assistance in making sure your county website is > compliant with all rules. > > Shirley > > >From the Policies page: > 10.*IT IS ESSENTIAL* that your site be well-maintained and updated as > frequently as possible. Every site needs to have some basic research > resources, i.e. Courthouse offices addresses, phone numbers, fees, etc., > library, historical society, newspaper, cemetery names & addresses, funeral > homes, etc. Many have also provided a bibliography page showing reference > books available for their county and much more. Your site needs to be > checked often for bad links, new ideas, etc., and the update "date" > changed. We do check these and inquire of county coordinators if we find > sites that have not been updated within a month or so. If you are ill, > going on vacation, or having some temporary problems, the State Coordinator > would like to know and, of course, we make exceptions for those times. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Correction...the USGenWeb does not have a requirement on updates to the county websites. The paragraph from the Policies page is from the MTGenWeb rules and is not part of the required elements but is "strongly recommended". I don't think we need to require a "last update date" on all county websites but would like to see the MTGenWeb add a requirement for sites with a last update date to keep the date current. I personally like a 3 month time frame but 6 months works too. <g> Please post your thoughts on this issue and let's discuss the pros and cons. Shirley On Sat, Jun 7, 2014 at 9:55 PM, Shirley Cullum <[email protected]> wrote: > Just a reminder that county websites must be updated at least twice a year > per the USGenWeb requirements. Therefore the last update date on our > websites should not be more than 6 months old. And according to the > MTGenWeb Policies page, it is *suggested* that last update dates be > "within a month or so" (see below). With those statements in mind, the > County of Excellence rules will be updated. To be eligible for the MTGenWeb > COE award, county websites that have a last update date on them must have > dates that are no older than 6 months. > > I appreciate your assistance in making sure your county website is > compliant with all rules. > > Shirley > > From the Policies page: > 10.*IT IS ESSENTIAL* that your site be well-maintained and updated as > frequently as possible. Every site needs to have some basic research > resources, i.e. Courthouse offices addresses, phone numbers, fees, etc., > library, historical society, newspaper, cemetery names & addresses, funeral > homes, etc. Many have also provided a bibliography page showing reference > books available for their county and much more. Your site needs to be > checked often for bad links, new ideas, etc., and the update "date" > changed. We do check these and inquire of county coordinators if we find > sites that have not been updated within a month or so. If you are ill, > going on vacation, or having some temporary problems, the State Coordinator > would like to know and, of course, we make exceptions for those times. >