Library Online Portals

Also referred to as a digital library (also called an online library, an internet library, a digital repository, a library without walls, or a digital collection) is an online database of digital objects that can include text, images, video, audio, documents or any other digital media formats or a library accessable through the internet.

Almost all librarys now have an online presence, some free and open, others related to higher education enrollment, public library card access, and employee access. Some of the featured elements availble on these portal sites include:

• Search and navigation

A library portal should be easy to use and include a search box for finding information.

• Resource discovery

A library portal should help users find resources like electronic catalogs, citation databases, and journal articles.

• Browsable interfaces

A library portal should include browsable interfaces to help users discover resources.

• Links to other resources

A library portal should include links to full-text articles, document delivery, and interlibrary loan.

• Personalization

A library portal should offer personalization services to customize the user experience.

• User authentication

A library portal should include user authentication services.

• Citation management

A library portal should include citation management software. These include RefWorks, EndNote, Mendeley, and Zotero, just to name a few.

• Online reference help

A library portal should include online reference help to aid in the discovery process.

Check out the list of elements available to users of the Fresno CA public library portal:

Fresno County Public Library (fresnolibrary.org)