The Northern Star staff is getting ready to act its age. We are, after all, children of the Internet era.

Despite previously winning top national awards for our online efforts, the Northern Star’s website, blogs and video sections have fallen into relative disrepair. We update all of those, yes, but not with consistently eye-catching and lively content.

Starting with the spring semester, all of that will change. The Northern Star is changing gears and moving to do more with its online product. The paper is and always will be near and dear to the staff’s heart. Frankly, I believe it will remain our most important and credible product for several more years.

However, the Internet provides us with countless untapped resources. We can provide readers with interactive maps and timelines, videos, humorous GIFs and breaking news.

By ignoring those resources, we do a disservice to our readership.

Starting over winter break, the Northern Star’s website, NorthernStar.info, will receive a makeover. The site will become easier to navigate and will better showcase online-only content, like videos and blogs. The site will also be updated more frequently throughout the day, as will the Star’s Twitter and Facebook.

The best part of this? The changes will benefit you, our readers. Once we create a series of easy-to-use forms, you will be able to submit reviews, news tips, photos, intramural statistics and club information, among other things. You’ll also be able to access more content throughout the day.

If you’re interested in being apart of this change, apply to the Northern Star. We’re actively recruiting employees in all sections, and are excited to work with coders for mini-sites, video producers, reporters and bloggers. If you don’t have experience in these areas, but want to learn, email the staff at [email protected]. We have a team of editors who are more than willing to help train anyone with a positive attitude.

These changes will require a tremendous effort on the part of the staff, as we are all students juggling classes and work. However, the Northern Star is considered one of the top college newspapers in the country. We’ve won awards for writing, design, photography and overall quality.

We just need to take that talent and dedication to the Web.