Portals and Libraries

Citation

Lee Eden, B. (2006), "Portals and Libraries", Collection Building, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 150-150. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950610706032

This book examines the ultimate goal of providing comprehensive access to information to library users. As with most Haworth Press books, its content emanates from a special double‐themed, simultaneously published issue of one of its library journals, in this case The Journal of Library Administration.

The volume has an introduction and 12 chapters. In the introduction the editor provides some background about portals, and how integration of resources is vital for future search and retrieval of information in libraries. In Chapter 1 “The History of the Internet Public Library and of Portals” is detailed by Susanna Davidsen. Chapter 2 is a discussion of “How MyLibrary@NCState Developed” by Karen Ciccone. “A Library of Congress Portal for Web Resources on International Topics” by Carolyn Brown makes up Chapter 3. “Comparisons between Portals and Integrated Library Systems (ILSs)” are made by Sandy Hurd in Chapter 4. In Chapter 5 Ann Marie Breznay and Leslie Haas examine “How Services Will Make the Difference in Terms of User Interest In Portals”. In Chapter 6 “The Technologies Associated with Library Portals” are detailed by Krisellen Maloney and Paul Bracke. Olivia Madison and Maureen Hyland‐Carver discuss issues related to portal implementation in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 is a very interesting dialogue about online catalogs and library portals in today's information environment by John Byrum. The issues related to usability testing and interface design for portals are detailed by Jennifer Ward and Steve Hiller in Chapter 9. Approaches to course management systems and portals from an environmentalist point of view are related in Chapter 10 by Alison Regan and Sheldon Walcher. Chapter 11 is the final report of the ARL Scholars Portal Working Group from May 2002, including recommendations of needed functions and features for portals, and Chapter 12 is a futuristic look at portals by Mary Jackson.

Anyone whose job entails providing access to information resources will want to consult and read this book.