1. Library Web Portals: Reinventing Libraries for the Future
Two days National Workshop On Effective Library Management For Semi Professional Library staff
8th & 9th January 2015
Pralhad Jadhav
GNIMS |
Mumbai
09 January 2014

2. Introduction
The term “Portal” describes a variety of web based interfaces, everything from a relatively static homepage with general product and contact information to a dynamic one- stop homepage where users can customize the content to meet their needs. Definition: The Joint Information Systems Committee defines a portal as “a network service that brings together content from diverse distributed resources using technologies such as cross searching, harvesting and altering, and collates this in to an amalgamated form for presentation via a web browser to the user”.

3. How Does Portal differ from Web site & Search Engine?
A portal was used to catalogue the available content from the Internet, acting as a ‘hub’ from which users could locate & link to desired content.
Whereas a web site is a related collection of World Wide Web (WWW) files that include a beginning file called a home page.
Search engine is a specialized programme that facilitates information retrieval from segment of the internet.

4. Types of Portal
Verticle | These are web portals which focus only on one specific industry, domain or vertical.
Horizontal | These are web portals which focus on a wide array of interests and topics.
Library Portals | LLibrary portals should be comprehensive in covering their subject . Many portals are selective, in order to provide information novices with a manageable plateful, librarians, on the other hand, have no problem dealing with information overloaded, & want the most complete set of links possible on every library-related topic or subtopic.

5. Features of Library Portal
Single Access Point
Individual Needs of Users
Standard Interface to generate library resources & services
Importance & Need of Library Portals
Multiplication of electronic resources is a problem
Users find it difficult to find the most appropriate database or resource
they may struggle to search it effectively
They have to remember and enter many different passwords to access the different databases

6. Coverage of Library Portals
Professional resources
Organisations
Publications, both print & electronic
Conferences & other events
Library Web sites, including Web catalogue
Communication channels, like discussions lists
Job announcements
The library marketplace, (i.e. vendors of library-related products & services)
Functional requirements
Core functionality:
Cross searching,
Common interface,
Single point of Authentication,
Content enrichment

7. Elements of Library Portals
Ease of Use
Search & Navigation
Resource Linking
Personalization
User Authentication
Interactive Services
Some of the examples of Portal based Services:
Discussion Forums
Online Chat and Blogs
Chat
Blogs
Database Advisory Tool
Instructional Materials
Personal Research Page
Master Site Index / site Search
Current Awareness Services

8. Current Awareness Services:
Informed about the latest additions, the following are displayed on regular basis
List of Journal Received daily
Recent Additions of Books – Fortnightly
Announcement of Information on national / international conference etc
Newspaper Clipping Service
CAS | Newspaper Clipping - Google News a Case Study
Features of Google News
Personalized news
Alerts
News for your mobile phone
Feeds
News archive search

9. Conclusion
The librarian of today has the same onus — he or she has to adopt new technology to improve discoverability of and access to all types of information in all physical media and formats as radically and broadly as possible.
However, despite changes in technologies, digital resources and society in general, Dr SR Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science (Books are for use; Every reader (should be able to obtain) his or her book; Every book its reader (each book will find someone); Save the time of the reader; The library is a growing organism) still apply to libraries today. Michael Gorman redefined these laws in the context of the digital era as follows: Libraries should serve humanity; they should respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated; use technology intelligently to enhance service; protect free access to knowledge and honour the past and create the future.