Talk:Champaign County, Illinois

I love the wizzy Municipalities box, but am concerned that a novice reader might not know to click on [show] (and therefore would never see the great info hidden beneath it). That seems really obvious once you've clicked on [show], but there are a LOT of words on the page that the reader's eye will see before that one. I would suggest some kind of preface wording, like "To see a list of places in Champaign County, click on [Show], above." Lise 22:46, 4 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Consider it done! No one ever brought it up until now for any state. This message will be deleted after one week. Dsammy 00:07, 5 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Great! If the paragraph begins by explaining about a list that the reader can't see, he/she may not read to the end of the paragraph that explains how to see the list. Is there a way to default the option to "show" the list unless the reader clicks on [hide]? (I like your "self-destructing" message! I may use that on occasion...) Lise 01:54, 5 June 2011 (UTC)
 * The default is already there but the kicker is some counties have LONG lists. The paragrah has been around for over 2 years now without revision until now with addition of few words at the end. I looked at Bond County you added and it didn't make sense so changed it to the one that make sense - read the paragraph before the act on clicking. Practicially anyone who ever gone through Wikipedia and many other sites using Wikipedia software have them on default of "hide" not to take up screen space. And since it will be on town pages, too so it is not practical to have the open default. Dsammy 03:24, 5 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Something else to consider against using open default, the addition of cemeteries. There is a way to do it but some counties have large number of cemeteries (Adams has 187). Dsammy 03:26, 5 June 2011 (UTC)
 * So then when does content become a page unto itself, and when is it a list or box that can be opened and closed? Lise 11:57, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

Different link?
Wouldn't this http://urbanafreelibrary.org/archives/lhdetails.php be better one to be informed of what it is instead of this one link http://ccha.tufl.org/ which doesn't give enough information? Dsammy 08:20, 23 August 2011 (UTC) "Very good question! While the archives lhdetails link definitely gives more information, I was afraid the 'search' was buried so far that some might not find it once they get to the web site. It's a fairly subtle search screen... At least the 'search the index' is obvious on the ccha link. Have you used the CCHA Local History index before? The index entries include a LOT of information, and ordering the originals is easy and inexpensive. I love it! (And I have a lot of connections to Champaign County.) Lise 13:23, 23 August 2011 (UTC)"
 * One follow-on thought: the lhdetails page has great info for anyone who might be able to visit the library in person. Maybe we need a sentence or two that explains genealogical information that is available for on-site research, and includes the lhdetails link. Lise 16:02, 23 August 2011 (UTC)
 * Here's the suggestion, make first link as "for information about the site" and 2nd link to search page. This is an approach the FHC page creaters are using. Dsammy 16:56, 23 August 2011 (UTC)

Better link
Yes I agree I like the link you suggested much better.Dawne 13:30, 23 August 2011 (UTC)