JISC

The research undertaken for the LibPortal Project is intended to inform the JISC of the current development of library oriented portals in the Higher Education and Further Education sectors.

Executive Summary

The project reports on the take-up of commercial systems as well as the reasons for institutions deciding to choose an alternative solution. The survey asked questions about integration, access to resources, technical and bureaucratic issues with implementation, promotion and usage of resources. Respondents gave replies relating to both commercial products and to the delivery of other web based resources. Additional information was gathered from representatives of HE and FE at a focus group. A survey of users of library portals and web based systems was also
conducted.

A total of 172 emails were sent to HE institutions inviting them to complete one of three surveys and 70 returns received, a response rate of 41%. The FE colleges, 438 in total, were contacted via the RSCs and there were 69 returns, a response rate of 16%. Survey A was to be completed by institutions with commercial library portals, Survey B by those with a web based system developed in-house and Survey C with no separate library portal or dedicated access to library services. From the responses received, only eight HE libraries had purchased and implemented a commercial product, either MetaLib or Millennium Access Plus. Other HE libraries were exploring the possibility of installing a library portal or were in the process of implementation. None of the respondents from FE libraries had purchased a commercial product. Those HE libraries who had implemented MetaLib or MAP had considered the reputation of the supplier, interoperability with existing systems and ‘after-sales’ support in their choice of product. Many respondents had chosen the same supplier as that of their library management system for ease of integration. It is apparent that HE libraries are purchasing commercial systems to manage the increasing volume of electronic resources. They are also attracted by the functionality of a commercial product offering the facility to cross-search databases and to save search results for the user.

The survey revealed that there is confusion in the HE and FE community about the definition of the term ‘portal’ and the report recommends that the JISC continue to support the community in the delivery of electronic resources. Some respondents from both HE and FE responded to the survey giving details of their library ‘portal’, but the replies revealed that these were, in fact, an extension of a library web site or the institution’s Virtual Learning Environment and lacked the functionality which would define a commercial portal. This confusion led to some respondents completing a survey which was inappropriate for their situation. The survey results from A and B have therefore been analysed together where the survey questions relate to the benefits or management of the ‘portal’ or web based delivery of resources, that is those questions which are the same on both surveys. Both HE and FE saw the main benefits of a ‘portal’ as promoting the library’s resources more effectively, offering a single point of access and delivering library services more efficiently. HE libraries had experienced more technical problems with setting up of web based resources than FE libraries, probably because of the complexity of their systems. Respondents from both HE and FE had had communication difficulties with other staff in the institution with regard to LibPortal Project – Survey and review of HE and FE library-oriented portals 4 the management of electronic resources and the placing of the library within the institutional system. Where this is happening, library staff should be encouraged to be more pro-active in promoting the value of the library’s resources to teaching and research. The most popular services to which the library portals provide access were the library catalogue, electronic databases and electronic journals, with 97% of HE providing this facility. Links to web sites providing information relevant to the curriculum rated highly for both HE and FE.

Implementation of a commercial portal and on-going maintenance of a system has obvious implications for staff competencies. Beyond the usual requirements for cataloguing and customer care skills, there may be a need to develop the ability to train staff and library users. Some technical knowledge and expertise may be necessary, although this can be gained from co-operation with other staff in the institution. Reasons for not implementing a commercial library portal appear to centre around two main areas, namely funding and the adoption of an institutional portal, in which the library’s resources will be placed. FE institutions are particularly affected by a scarcity in funding and a lack of human resources to take forward the case to develop a library portal. Many HE and FE institutions have put their resources into creating an institutional portal and in many cases, the library staff have been involved in this. In instances where they are not consulted, it is important that the library ensures that its resources are delivered in an appropriate way. The user survey conducted for this project received a limited response from a few institutions and as such is restricted in its value. It does reveal that many users require instruction on how to use the portal and that on-going user education must be a consideration for libraries. Many institutions recognise that they need to conduct user surveys which provide them with useful
feedback on which to base improvements. From the project it has become apparent that many HE institutions are aspiring to a Single Sign On, which would enable more streamlined access to electronic resources. This is currently being developed by Athens.

Communication with database suppliers and publishers of electronic journals has occasionally been problematic but is now improving. The HE community would like all electronic databases to be cross-searchable. They would also like suppliers and publishers to use open standards to provide access to resources, alleviating problems with interoperability. JISC should continue to support the work being done to improve access standards, as in the project COUNTER. Appendix1 of the report gives an overview of the technical developments of library portals. The difficulty in defining the term ‘portal’ is addressed, with cross searching, customisation and a single interface recognised as important factors in the definition of a sophisticated system. The most recent developments in cross searching, access management, products and services and integration are identified.

The main recommendations of the report are as follows:

• Despite ongoing attempts in the literature to define ‘portal’, it is recommended that the
  JISC offer an improved definition of the term to guide HE and FE
  LibPortal Project – Survey and review of HE and FE library-oriented portals 5
• JISC should be more pro-active in helping the HE and FE community develop an
  awareness and understanding of portals and their functionality and their contribution to
  learning, teaching and research
• JISC should undertake its role to inform the HE and FE community of the benefits of
  implementing a portal more vigorously
• Representatives from HE and FE have requested that JISC produce a diagrammatic guide to
  the functionality of a portal and the advantages it can bring to an institution
• JISC should produce guidelines to facilitate the provision of portal functionality
• JISC should continue to work with publishers and suppliers of databases to improve
  standards for authentication and searching
• JISC should continue to lend active support to the standardisation of database usage
  statistics
• JISC should recognise that a lack of resources, both to purchase and to implement portals
  may affect development, particularly in FE

Read the final report below