Online Catalogs

Many of the following issues will need to be addressed when updating a Rutgers University catalog:

  1. Getting started
    Steps for starting a catalog and sample production schedule
  2. Content responsibilities
    Defining what the client is expected to provide and what the project manager handles.
  3. Content revision
    Explains the catalog revision process (incl. Rutgers’ new program approval process; verification of course data; last steps)
  4. Catalog generation
    Working with Web Lab to publish (use proper naming convention, add Google search function)
  5. University announcement
    Who to email once the catalog is published.
  6. Closing out catalog charges
    How to close the job; who to notify.
  7. Policies
    Notes about decisions that have been made around issues such as changing online catalog content; disclaimer note.
  8. Tips
    Printing catalogs; creating PDFs; working from a remote site; system hints
  9. Print Archives
    Where to find old printed catalogs.

 

History of Rutgers’ Online Catalogs

In the past, the university made available two formats of catalogs for its students: online and print. Due to budgetary constraints, President McCormick decided in the summer of 2006 to cease the publication of print catalogs.

The decision to make online catalogs available in the first place was to reach out to students in the manner most familiar and comfortable to them. However, since the catalogs are on a two-year production schedule, some of the useful information about university procedures and services could potentially become obsolete during that timeframe.

It was decided that access to universitywide information on such topics as admissions, tuition and fees, students services, etc., would be more useful and up-to-date if it was provided in the form of URLs featured on the first page of the online catalog. In effect, students navigating their online material at catalogs.rutgers.edu would be able to instantly retrieve current information about tuition and fees, parking, housing, academic calendars, etc., via the links provided at the beginning of the catalog as well as embedded links strategically provided in the body of the catalog pages.