MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Those looking for information from the City of Memphis will now find an entirely new layout for their website.
As of Monday, city government debuted a whole new look for the site, "prioritizing user experience and accessibility" and introducing new features such as a "City of Memphis radio station."
The browser URL for the site is the same — memphistn.gov
The City's communications chief Allison Fouché said the new updates "demonstrate our continuous commitment to improving services provided by the City."
“In addition to the more streamlined design, we have upgraded features to be more inclusive of all residents that will keep them better connected and more informed,” Fouché said.
Written content on the site as also said to be more available to those with disabilities thanks to text-to-speech tool ReadSpeaker. Users have the option of an audio version of the site's content to follow along with highlighted text, according to the City of Memphis.
They said ReadSpeaker opens access population of users such as those with literacy difficulties, learning disabilities, reduced vision and those learning a language.
Translation service Weglot was also incorporated into the website in order to make it more accessible to Spanish speakers. This function can be found in the lower right-hand corner of the website, where a user can currently select between English and Spanish as required or desired.
Links to the City's "most used pages" with landing pages designed to be more intuitive are said to be included in the new design.
"Audience-based navigation" and "customized modules" are also included in an effort to make searching for information and carrying out tasks with a smart phone easier, according to the City of Memphis.
“We know more people are looking at websites on their phones and tablets, so it was essential that this next iteration be able to adapt to all devices,” Fouché said. “Another objective was to create an accessible and inclusive website that lifts the barriers to communication and interaction that residents often encounter in the physical world.”
Links for pet adoption, fostering, finding lost pets, microchipping and vaccinations are all said to be easier to access through an entirely separate web presence linked through the city's site to Memphis Animal Services (MAS).
Finally, an online radio station filled with "curated music from Memphis musicians and songs with mentions of Memphis" is added to the new site. According to city government, City of Memphis Radio is "Music for the Memphis in You" with songs from genres such as Classic Rock, R&B and Adult Contemporary.
The station is also said to include City of Memphis PSAs that highlight City services, initiatives and programs. A partnership with iHeart Radio, the station can also be accessed on the iHeartRadio platform as "City of Memphis Radio."
