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The Olive Tree |
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The Olive Tree |
What's YOUR Topic? We welcome you to step through the subject portals at Fogler
Library at http://www.library.umaine.edu/default.asp#Portals.
From Anthropology to Zoology and from Dance to Women's Studies, we have brought
together books, journals, online resources, and contact with your Fogler Library
subject specialist under a single web page we call a portal. A subject portal
serves as a doorway for your research needs that leads to many resources
available both locally and globally via the Internet. A wide array of subject
portals, 83 in all, is available to support research and studies at the
University of Maine.
The online portals can be likened to the time honored subject carrels found in
research libraries that brought together traditional reference resources such as
thesauri and journal indexes in a given subject area. This idea expanded to
include tangible software products such as CD-ROMS that were installed on
dedicated workstations in the library reference area.
It is from one of these expanded carrel concepts for the College of Business
that the online portal took it first model. Business Reference Librarian
Darylyne Provost was asked to build an alcove of resources pertinent to the
various business related curricula. This hybrid consisted of both tangible
materials: books, periodicals, indexes, and so forth as well as relevant
selected Internet resources and subject guides. A dedicated workstation at the
alcove location displayed a web page, inviting the user to explore the wealth of
resources and offering a place to get started - a gateway or portal then to a
mix of library resources.
The original design was both functional and visually appealing and served as a
model for the next generation portal intended to reach a growing number of
remote users of library resources. The concept was expanded, continuing to
provide points of departure for print and other tangible resources but
incorporating a rapidly growing number of information tools available online.
Links to course guides, subject specific licensed databases, and computer
generated lists of new library acquisitions were included. We also explored
partnering links to web sites offered by departments and research units on
campus.
A library staff member serves as the primary contact and content developer for
each of the portals. The personal service of a librarian via our virtual
reference service “Ask a Librarian” is just a click away. Phone contact and
e-mail links are also available.
We initially developed pilots in two subject areas: education and nursing.
Content for these was provided by area specialists Cynthia Crosser and Nancy
Curtis. Working behind the scenes to facilitate both content management an ease
of navigation were staff with information infrastructure skills, notably Wei Dai
and Albie Dunn. We were able to leverage information already garnered through
the library’s online catalog. We asked subject specialists to submit Library of
Congress call number ranges suitable to the field of study that were then
programmed to filter the monthly acquisitions lists created by the online
catalog. At a glance our users can see what new titles have arrived in the field
of music for example.
Finally we were able to work with Jerry Lund, a member of the library’s
marketing group to develop a logo that helps to readily identify and promote the
new service by various media.
The project has been especially satisfying because it involved a range of staff
with various areas of expertise. Everything from subject knowledge to
programming to marketing savvy has contributed to the new service. In its
initial review by our standing usability group here on campus the service
received high marks. With the constant change in technological opportunities and
user expectations the portals service will continue to evolve as Fogler Library
continues to provide gateways for information discovery.
Home | Olive
Tree | Winter 2006