DOVER – The Delaware Fresh app – a mobile guide to local farmstands and farmers’ markets marking its first year – has been updated and refreshed for the new season, available on both iPhone and Android platforms.

“The Delaware Fresh app is proving to be a great model for informing Delawareans and visitors about farmers’ markets through technology,” said Governor Jack Markell. “It’s one of the newer ways we can share what Delaware agriculture is offering residents and businesses in real time.”

The app provides users with an interactive map of market locations, addresses, phone numbers, emails, available items and hours of operation. It is available at http://de.gov/defresh.

“This app has proven handy for many Delaware residents and travelers on the go,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “It’s an at-your-fingertip map to find the best local vegetables, fruits, meats and other products closest to you. This type of initiative also helps support our farmers and producers by directing consumers right to their doors.”

The app will get some special attention this summer and fall from filmgoers in Kent County and surrounding areas, who will be able to download it directly from their movie screens. Starting July 13, more than 160,000 viewers watching 7,840 movies will learn about the app and the farm-fresh foods it connects to while watching pre-movie advertisements at the Dover Carmike 14 through November. The ads will feature an on-screen QR code so viewers can instantly download the app on their smartphones.

The app and the theatre spots highlight Delaware agricultural offerings year-round, featuring not only fresh produce but also gardening and landscaping centers, agritourism locations and holiday purchases.

“We’re excited about this partnership, and hope it will spread the word to an even larger audience,” said Lisa Falconetti, marketing specialist for the Department of Agriculture.

The app was developed by the Department of Agriculture and the Delaware Government Information Center, a division of the Department of State which spearheads the state’s e-government solutions.

The Delaware Fresh app ad can be viewed online at http://bit.ly/Opq8vs.

Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520

Delaware’s main internet portal – Delaware.gov – has been redesigned to improve citizen access to state government information and services. The portal is updated and refreshed every two to three years by the Delaware Government Information Center (GIC) to adapt to the changing web environment and to improve upon important aspects such as accessibility and ease of navigation. As the portal to state services for Delaware’s citizens, Delaware.gov reflects the forward thinking, efficient and effective approach to government championed by Delaware Governor Jack Markell.

“The state’s new web portal was designed to be welcoming and easy to use, better connecting citizens to their government,” said Governor Markell. “When people want to find something, we think, through this redesign, they will more readily be able to locate it. Delaware.gov will direct citizens to the most useful services and information available to meet their needs at that moment and clearly indicate to them the priorities and initiatives of Delaware government.”

The latest portal refresh cleans up and refocuses the portal on the key services and information offered by state agencies. It takes advantage of and combines a number of proven, effective web technologies to provide a rich mix of graphic and informational content that bring people closer to their government.

The new portal includes more graphics and less text and is designed to simplify access to information for visitors to the site. Through continuous innovation, Delaware has put its emphasis on taking government information to the users where they are, as evidenced by the integration of social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube into delaware.gov.

The portal uses prominent, graphic spotlights to attract visitors’ attention on a series of topical issues. For instance, with the upcoming state income tax filing deadline on April 30, the portal provides quick access to tax resources. Visitors to the portal are also directed to information on the April 28 Drug Take-Back events, along with state parks, Delaware tourism and incorporation resources. A series of focused information tabs direct visitors to information about government services, services for businesses, employment assistance, the latest state government news and more.

DOVER, Del. (February 29, 2012) – The Delaware Government Information Center (GIC) has released an innovative new phone directory search tool designed to help citizens find the right state office to answer their questions or provide them with desired services. The new search tool, phonedirectory.delaware.gov, is part of the state’s award-winning web portal and is designed to work equally well on desktop computers, laptops, pad-style devices and smartphone browsers.

“We strive each day to make government more accessible to the public and to provide exceptional service in all that we do,” said Governor Jack Markell. “A critical part of accessibility is making sure people can easily find the contact information they need.”

The system pulls information from a database created and maintained by staff in the GIC, working with state agency leaders. The database is based on internal state agency phone listings but has been updated with new types of information and carefully edited and augmented in order to guide users to the most helpful contact points within state government.

The new directory allows users to search by individual, agency or thing. A person seeking recreational opportunities might search for “Parks and Recreation,” or simply “trails” and find not only phone numbers to call, but maps of office locations, website links and links to any social media that agencies use, as well.

Each listing also includes a Quick Response (QR) Code that links to a virtual business card listing, designed for ease of use on smartphone and mobile screens and which can be saved to a user’s personal contacts list.

“We are working to make government more efficient and effective by creating easy-to-use eGovernment tools for Delawareans,” said GIC Director Greg Hughes. “This is part of a larger eGovernment effort, led by GIC and involving partners from agencies throughout state government.”

The GIC is part of the Delaware Department of State and is charged with ensuring that the public has free and equal access to state, local, and federal government information and resources or, as the GIC staff like to put it: “connecting citizens to government.”

The GIC manages the delaware.gov web portal; advises state agencies on website design, eGovernment, and social media policy; and assists local governments with their web sites.