A standardized community format is used for the 28 section and 4 division websites. The advantages of the new community format are standardized navigation, customizable content/ categories, automatically displayed section/ division specific information (e.g., CLE programs), and easy updates.
The Section and Division Community format also allowed NCBA staff members to include many new features including the best features from other sections/divisions. NOTE: The new section/division search tool only searches the section or division Web site being displayed.
The new section and division communities are formatted as follows:
TOP NAVIGATION MENU. This part of the page provides the NCBA Web site's standard dropdown navigation and quick links to access other parts of the Web site.
LEFT PANEL. This part of the page provides links to the main parts of the section/division community that you are displaying. The community categories provide common locations for the wide variety of information available on the section/division pages. NOTE: A description of the information in each of the categories is listed below, and in the center panel of the home page for each section/ division community. The following categories are available to ALL section and division communities:
- “Section/Division Home” is a link to the home page of the section/division community being displayed.
- “NC Casemaker” is a direct link to the North Carolina section of the Casemaker online research tool.
- “Governance” contains the section/division’s purpose statement and bylaws when available.
- “Leadership” contains information from the section's/ division's leadership including the section/division officers, executive council, committee chairs, and meeting minutes when available.
- “Join the Section/Division” contains an online application form for joining a section/division.
- "Calendar" contains section-/division-specific scheduling information when available.
- "CLE" contains section-/division-specific Continuing Legal Education (CLE) information including upcoming programs and publications when available.
- "Directories" contains links to the section/division indexes, Judicial Directory of NC Judges, as well as the NCBA membership directory with the section/division being viewed, which is password-protected.
- "Legal Resources" contains section-/division-specific legal resources including access to Casemaker / PJI, online links / references, publications (e.g., forms, brochures, booklets, etc.), website links, articles, legislative issues, and other information when available.
- "LISTSERV" contains information on how to use the section/division's LISTSERV including the user agreement, subscription manager, FAQs, and tips and etiquette, as well as a link to the section's LISTSERV archive. NOTE: Participation in the LISTSERV is optional and only available to section members. The LISTSERV mailing system and archives are also hosted by another company, which requires you to login to access password-protected parts of their Web site.
- "Newsletters" contains the section / division's newsletters (recent and archive), which may be password-protected as determined by the section/division leadership.
- "Scholarships, Awards, ..." contains section-/division-specific awards and scholarship information when available.
- "Section/Division Forums" contains web-based discussion forums posted by section/division members, which anyone can read however only section/division members can start discussions and make comments. Members can also choose to be automatically notified via e-mail about new topics or comments on specific topics by selecting that option on the associated page.
NOTE: The community categories listed above are available to all sections/divisions, and most can be easily updated by approved members.
CENTER PANEL. This part of the page is where the main content is displayed. You can navigate within this part of the section/division community by using (1) the displayed titles/links and following the instructions to access content, (2) the “Bread Crumb" navigation trail displayed at the top of the center panel, OR (3) your browsers forward/back buttons.
Each section/division can also add a “Poll of the Month” to their section/division community. This informal poll is limited to one question with selectable responses (i.e., no comments), which is displayed at the bottom of the center panel on ALL associated section/division pages. The Poll results are automatically processed and displayed online, and members are reminded if they have already responded using that same computer and login information. NOTE:
- Members can choose to be automatically notified via e-mail when new content is added to a specific part of the section/division community by selecting that option when it is displayed. Members can also deselect/reselect that option at any time.
- The password-protection for individual categories of the section and division communities was based on the old section and division Web sites. Community password-protection can be set up for each major category and/or for individual sub-categories.
RIGHT PANEL. This part of the page has links to new and the most used parts of the section/division community being displayed. It also includes an automated legal news feed from the ABA, which is frequently updated with new information normally when different pages are selected. NOTE: Each section/division can choose the information they want displayed in the right panel to highlight new additions, etc.
FEEDBACK. Content, files, etc. can be easily added to the new section/ division community format, however changes are subject to approval by NCBA staff and appropriate section/ division members. Members are encouraged to forward feedback, which can be posted on the associated section/division forum or e-mailed to ncba@ncbar.org.
