Portals, Ready Reference, and Libraries Access Evaluation Organization

Access Search industry and libraries facilitate access to online information. Portals are the search industry’s answer library collections Libraries use, organize, and collect web information too. Portals are usually just called “library home pages.” Or sometimes “ready reference collections.”

Portals Sites that contain a search function, but also services such as free , free home pages, maps, phone books, , directories, news, and company information, etc. ("sticky" features) They want to be your entry to EVERYTHING on the Web, not just searching

Portals Examples: Yahoo Myway.com msn.com Aol.com

Library homepages Provide access to a number of resources, too…more than just the free web!: Example UC-Berkeley Libraries A hybrid: Refdesk.com

Ready Reference Collections Collection of online ready reference sources also facilitate access: City College of San Francisco Wilton Library Loyola University University of Oklahoma DeskRef

Librarians And then, of course, we have the living, breathing, walking, INTELLIGENT guide to all the Web…and more!:

Organizing Use these pre-made resources (portals, library home pages, ready reference collections) or organize your own Useful for personal reference Useful when compiling a collection for patrons/customers

Organizing Finding sites Bookmark sites you find as you are searching Search the invisible web Look for meta sites or other authorities on your topic Evaluate all sites for yourself

How to Evaluate a Web Page Evaluating content from the user's perspective, not design principles, but authority/accuracy Who maintains the content? What is the content provider’s authority? Is there bias? Examine the URL (who owns the URL?) Examine outbound links Examine who links to it Is the information current? Use common sense