Although a professional web designer is strongly recommended, it has never been easier for libraries to create a website. Building a website in-house won’t require paying an outside vendor, but there are often hidden costs. Here are a few questions to consider:
Who will be responsible for creating, maintaining, and updating the website?
This will involve a significant time investment. Can the assigned person afford to take time away from other duties?
Does the person responsible have basic technical aptitude and design sense? Though coding skills may not be required, problem-solving skills and a good sense of design are essential.
What happens to the website if the assigned person is not at the library? Can anyone else update it?
What happens if the power goes out at the library? Will the website also go down?
For an outline of the entire web design process, see this excellent article from Webjunction.