Handling Legacy Password-Protected Course Materials Posted on County Websites

Response:

Start by creating a simple spreadsheet inventory of those pages and share it with the web team. From there, we can review the content together, look at any available analytics, and determine the best path forward. In some cases, the material may still be valuable but better suited for a different location or format, such as being moved into a program or topic area rather than remaining on a county site.

One issue we’ve seen in the past, and still encounter, is content being added to a county site simply because a staff member has access, even when that content has broader, statewide relevance. Course materials, online programs, or services often serve audiences well beyond a single county, and placing them on a county site can make them harder to find and create confusion about availability.

We’ve recently had public inquiries, for example, about whether a 4-H program listed on one county’s site was limited to that county or available elsewhere, something that likely would have been clearer if housed in a centralized program area.

With the upcoming redesign for Extension, this is actually a great opportunity to evaluate this type of content more thoughtfully. Together, we can decide whether it should be retained, relocated, revised, or restructured so it’s positioned in a way that better serves users across the state and aligns with how we want content organized moving forward.

Reach Out to Our Team

If you’d like a one-on-one discussion or step-by-step work session with a member of Extension’s Web Team, submit your request through the form on the Extension Communications and Marketing: Submit a Request page.

• Our team will follow up within 48 hours of submission.
• You’ll also receive a confirmation email with a copy of your request—please reply to that message if you need to add updates or additional information.