Library portal

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A library portal is an interface to access library resources and services through a single access and management point for users: for example, by combining the circulation and catalog functions of an integrated library system (ILS) with additional tools and facilities. [1]

Contents

Definition

A library portal is defined as "a combination of software components that unify the user experience of discovering and accessing information" in contrast to a "single technology" to provide "services that support discovery, access and effective use of information." [2]

Major elements

In addition to the basic functions of access to the library catalog, and a user's subscription records, significant elements of a library portal normally include:

More recently, the focus has been on the discovery goal, which has led to even more difficulties in defining a library portal. The terms "discovery tools", "discovery services", "next-generation discovery tool", and "next-generation OPAC" are often used interchangeably.

Current market

The focus on discovery tools has led to increased competitors in the discovery services market; the competitors that existed in the library portal market have also shifted their focus to this particular function.

A list of competitors in the current library portal market who have recently been awarded contracts by various libraries for their entire portal include  :

By contrast, the following list highlights contracts signed by libraries for specific discovery service tools, mostly at more recent dates

Challenges

When building a portal for a library, one of the challenges discussed by Morgan is communication: the building of a portal requires consensus with regards to what should be included. [29] Another challenge is ensuring a user-centered design for the portal. This involves conducting surveys, focus group interviews, and usability studies – all of which can be seen as time-consuming. [29] Additionally, compatibility with the hosting institution is critical. [29] Finally, the question of whether a library should go with open source software or commercial products is always a point of contention.

Standards

There are no accepted standards for library portals. [30] The only standards in the literature are the more general search and retrieval standards, including Z39.50 and ZING (Z39.50-International: Next Generation), the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting, and OpenURL. [2]

As a result of the lack of standards, and since customization is required in a library portal, individual institutions decide what they expect their portal to look like, and what services it will provide. For example, Harvard University is currently conducting a library portal project, which will begin implementation during the summer of 2012. They have identified their own list of criteria, [31] which naturally differs substantially from the needs of other institutions. The various general areas that the committee has looked at include: content, user experience, features and capabilities, infrastructure and security, and search and discovery. It is uncertain which areas will be selected as part of the Phase I implementation of the portal.

Relationship between OPACs and library portals

The online public access catalog (OPAC) is a basic module, part of the library's integrated library system. Earlier, the OPAC has been limited to searching physical texts, and sometimes digital copies but has only limited special features. Caplan argues that they are in process of replacement by newer "discovery tools" allowing more customization. [32] Yang and Hofmann suggest that vendors see money in building either separate discovery tools or Next-Generation OPACs to be purchased as an add-on feature. [33] A problem with vocabulary arises here. Yang and Wagner (2010, in Yang and Hofmann, 2011) refer to discovery tools by many names, including "stand-alone OPAC, discovery layer, and next-generation catalog [sic.]" [33] This contrasts Bair, Boston, and Garrison, who differentiate between next-generation catalogues and web-scale discovery services. [34] Despite any confusion, it is clear that the OPAC as it currently stands is outdated, and will be replaced by more modern, user-friendly tools. The next-generation OPAC as described by Yang and Hofmann will ideally have the following 12 features (although not all features are currently available in any single discovery product): [33]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Library</span> Organized collection of books or other information resources

A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical or digital access materials, and may be a physical location or a virtual space, or both. A library's collection can include printed materials and other physical resources in many formats such as DVD, CD and cassette as well as access to information, music or other content held on bibliographic databases.

A discovery system is a bibliographic search system based on search engine technology. It is part of the concept of Library 2.0 and is intended to supplement or even replace the existing OPAC catalogs. These systems emerged in the late 2000s in response to user desire for a more convenient search option similar to that of internet search engine. The results from searching a discovery system may include books and other print materials from the library's catalog, electronic resources such as e-journals or videos, and items stored in other libraries.

The online public access catalog (OPAC), now frequently synonymous with library catalog, is an online database of materials held by a library or group of libraries. Online catalogs have largely replaced the analog card catalogs previously used in libraries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OCLC</span> Global library cooperative (1967–)

OCLC, Inc., doing business as OCLC, is an American nonprofit cooperative organization "that provides shared technology services, original research, and community programs for its membership and the library community at large". It was founded in 1967 as the Ohio College Library Center, then became the Online Computer Library Center as it expanded. In 2017, the name was formally changed to OCLC, Inc. OCLC and thousands of its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the largest online public access catalog in the world. OCLC is funded mainly by the fees that libraries pay for the many different services it offers. OCLC also maintains the Dewey Decimal Classification system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WorldCat</span> International union library catalog

WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions, in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the OCLC member libraries collectively maintain WorldCat's database, the world's largest bibliographic database. The database includes other information sources in addition to member library collections. OCLC makes WorldCat itself available free to libraries, but the catalog is the foundation for other subscription OCLC services. WorldCat is used by librarians for cataloging and research and by the general public.

Voyager is an integrated library system used by hundreds of libraries, universities and museums around the world. Voyager was developed by Endeavor Information Systems Inc., which was merged into Ex Libris Group in December 2006.

An integrated library system (ILS), also known as a library management system (LMS), is an enterprise resource planning system for a library, used to track items owned, orders made, bills paid, and patrons who have borrowed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Library 2.0</span> Idea for new type of public library

Library 2.0 is a proposed concept for library services that facilitate user contributions and other features of Web 2.0, which includes online services such as OPAC systems. The concept is based on Radical Trust, and proponents suggest it will eventually replace traditional libraries. The term "Library 2.0" was coined by Michael Casey in 2006 on his blog Library Crunch.

LibraryThing is a social cataloging web application for storing and sharing book catalogs and various types of book metadata. It is used by authors, individuals, libraries, and publishers.

Serials Solutions was a division of ProQuest that provided e-resource access and management services (ERAMS) to libraries. These products enabled librarians to more easily manage electronic resources that serve the needs of their users. Serials Solutions became part of ProQuest Workflow Solutions in 2011 and the "Serials Solutions" name was retired in 2014. In 2015, Proquest acquired Ex Libris Group, a library automation company with many similar products to those of ProQuest Workflow Solutions. The Workflow Solutions division was to be merged with Ex Libris into a new business group called "Ex Libris, a ProQuest Company".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VTLS</span>

VTLS Inc. was a global company that provided library automation software and services to a diverse customer base of more than 1900 libraries in 44 countries. The for-profit company was founded in 1985 by Dr. Vinod Chachra, who became the President and CEO of the company. VTLS originated as "Virginia Tech Library Systems", an automated circulation and cataloging system created for Virginia Tech’s Newman Library in 1975. In addition to its headquarters in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States, VTLS had five international offices in Australia, Brazil, India, Malaysia and Spain. VTLS was one of the few ISO 9001:2008 quality-certified companies within the library industry for many years. The company was acquired by Innovative Interfaces in 2014.

Geospatial metadata is a type of metadata applicable to geographic data and information. Such objects may be stored in a geographic information system (GIS) or may simply be documents, data-sets, images or other objects, services, or related items that exist in some other native environment but whose features may be appropriate to describe in a (geographic) metadata catalog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zotero</span> Reference management software

Zotero is a free and open-source reference management software to manage bibliographic data and related research materials, such as PDF files. Features include web browser integration, online syncing, generation of in-text citations, footnotes, and bibliographies, an integrated PDF reader and note editor, as well as integration with the word processors Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer, and Google Docs. It was originally created at the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University and, as of 2021, is developed by the non-profit Corporation for Digital Scholarship.

Evergreen is an open-source integrated library system (ILS), initially developed by the Georgia Public Library Service for Public Information Network for Electronic Services (PINES), a statewide resource-sharing consortium with over 270 member libraries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital Scriptorium</span> Consortium of American libraries

Digital Scriptorium (DS) is a non-profit, tax-exempt consortium of American libraries with collections of medieval and early modern manuscripts, that is, handwritten books made in the traditions of the world’s scribal cultures. The DS Catalog represents these manuscript collections in a web-based platform form building a national union catalog for teaching and scholarly research in medieval and early modern studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NewspaperCat</span>

The Catalog of Digital Historical Newspapers (NewspaperCat) is a free online resource for open-access digitized historical newspapers published in North America and the Caribbean. NewspaperCat was developed from a grant by the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida and is powered by SobekCM, the content management system used by the University of Florida Digital Collections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dynix (software)</span>

The Dynix Automated Library System was a popular integrated library system, with a heyday from the mid-1980s to the late-1990s. It was used by libraries to replace the paper-based card catalog, and track lending of materials from the library to patrons.

BiblioCommons is a privately held company, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that develops front end interactive catalog and web services for libraries. In February 2020, BiblioCommons was acquired by Volaris Group, an operating segment of Constellation Software.

The Digital Visitor and Resident (V&R) model provides a framework to depict how user preference and habit motivates engagement with technology and the web. V&R is commonly described as a continuum, with two modes of online engagement at either end, making a separation between different approaches to engagement. People operating in Visitor mode have a defined goal or task, and select an appropriate online tool to meet their needs as they arise. For example, using a smartphone to search the internet for directions to a local bookstore, thus finding a particular piece of information online and then going offline to complete the task. There will be little in terms of social visibility or trace when online in Visitor mode. People operating in Resident mode are online to connect to, or to be with, other people. For example, posting to the wall in Facebook, tweeting, blogging, or posting comments on blogs. The web supports the projection of their identity and facilitates relationships. In other words, Residents live a percentage of their lives online. Unlike the Visitor mode, there will be online visibility and presence when in Resident mode. It is very common for individuals to engage online in a mixture of Visitor and Resident modes depending on what they are trying to achieve.

Blacklight is an open-source Ruby on Rails engine for creating search interfaces on top of Apache Solr indices. The software is used by libraries to create discovery layers or institutional repositories; by museums and archives to highlight digital collections; and by other information retrieval projects.

References

  1. ↑ Michalak, Sarah, ed. (2005). Portals and Libraries. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press. ISBN   0789029316. OCLC   57564758.
  2. 1 2 3 Maloney, K; Bracke, P.J. (2005). "Library portal technologies". Journal of Library Administration. 43 (1–2): 87–112. doi:10.1300/J111v43n01_07. S2CID   57092745.
  3. ↑ Library Technology, January 11, 2011
  4. ↑ Library Technology, November 25, 2010
  5. ↑ Library Technology, July 1, 2008
  6. ↑ Library Technology, February 19, 2008
  7. ↑ Library Technology, June 19, 2008
  8. ↑ Library Technology, November 13, 2006
  9. ↑ Library Technology, April 16, 2012
  10. ↑ Library Technology, April 6, 2012
  11. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, February 29, 2012, retrieved February 6, 2013
  12. ↑ Library Technology, February 1, 2012
  13. ↑ Library Technology, January 18, 2012
  14. ↑ Library Technology, January 13, 2012
  15. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, January 10, 2012, retrieved February 6, 2013
  16. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, December 15, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  17. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, November 29, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  18. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, November 22, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  19. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, November 17, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  20. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, October 20, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  21. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, August 18, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  22. ↑ www.librarytechnology.org, August 1, 2011, retrieved February 6, 2013
  23. ↑ Library Technology, February 8, 2012
  24. ↑ Library Technology, March 27, 2012)
  25. ↑ Library Technology, March 20, 2012
  26. ↑ Library Technology, March 13, 2012
  27. ↑ Library Technology, February 2, 2012
  28. ↑ Library Technology, January 10, 2012
  29. 1 2 3 Morgan, E.L. (2005). "Portals in libraries: Portal implementation issues and challenges". Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. 31: 22–23. doi: 10.1002/bult.1720310112 .
  30. ↑ Sadeh, T; Walker, J. (2003). "Library portals: Toward the semantic web". New Library World. 104 (1184/1185): 11–19. doi:10.1108/03074800310458241.
  31. ↑ "Library portal high-level requirements: identified through discussion with library staff". Harvard University. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  32. ↑ Caplan, P (2012). "On discovery tools, OPACs and the motion of library language". Library Hi Tech. 30 (1): 108–115. doi:10.1108/07378831211213247.
  33. 1 2 3 Yang, S.Q.; Hofmann, M.A. (2011). "Next generation or current generation?: A study of the OPACs of 260 academic libraries in the USA and Canada". Library Hi Tech. 29 (2): 266–300. doi:10.1108/07378831111138170.
  34. ↑ Blair, S.A.; Boston, G.; Garrison, S. (2011). "Taming lightning in more than one bottle: Implementing a local next-generation catalog versus a hosted web-scale discovery service". University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
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