Library portals Andrew Cox, Loughborough University COLIS/JISC meeting 28th February 2003

Overview & limits What are library portals ? What issues do they raise? Based on survey May 2002 Only portal systems offered by LMS suppliers

Library portals are... Searchable, browsable & customisable presentation of library valued electronic resources Cross searching / familiar interface Authentication/Authorisation definition excludes Content location

Library portals are: One of a number of LMS suppliers responses to Internet/electronic resource revolution –Library portals –Open linking solutions (eg SFX, Linkfinder+) –E-Journal level services (eg TDNet available through Talis, Serials Solutions) –Bibliographic enrichment –Digitisation management tools

Library portals include: FDis ZPortal ExLibris Metalib Innovatives MAP (WebFind, WAM) Endeavors EnCompass More

Issues Common familiar interface / Cross searching –Is it desirable to promote such imprecise searching? - not that imprecise and its popular –Problems with Z some publishers cant / wont allow searches –Integrating layer adds a layer to explain?

Issues Authentication &c –Most do not support Athens

Issues Statistics: –Only traffic through the portal –Doesnt give you COUNTER level data, eg does not know whether a download is full text or abstract

Issues Are they mature technology? –Some are Do the companies have the resources (and interest) to develop these products seriously? Are they standalone products?

Issues What do the systems cost? What is the licence model? Are you buying a system or a service or content?

Library portals & VLEs ? Little evidence of interest, except: –EnCompass / Blackboard, WebCT But is that because we never asked for it?

Library portals & VLEs ? Service to embed in VLE or within other services/ portals Library portals for researchers not UGs ? ed services (over dues, new books, TOC, stored searches)

Library portals Andrew Cox, Loughborough University COLIS/JISC meeting 28th February 2003