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Library Gateway Focus Groups Report

January 1999

Prepared by Karen Calhoun and Zsuzsa Koltay

Assisted by Diane Cellentani of Marketing Backup

Research supported by a 1998 CUL Internal Grant

Table 1. Summary of Web sites of the 9 largest U.S. ARLs and 3 peer libraries

Stanford

Summary of Web

Main page choices:

Whatís new

Lectures and Symposia

Catalogs and Databases (catalog, reserves and databases)

Collections and Resources (by broad discipline, e-journals, govt. documents, by type)

About (hours, units, staff, locations, copyright)

Academic Computing (facilities, services, publications)

User Services (circulation, reserves, instruction, reference, ILS, disabled users)

Enterprises (HighWire, projects, Web sites)

Quick links (shortcuts via pull-down menu)

Remarks

Web catalog available for Stanford community only. Hotlinks to electronic resources are available in catalog.

"Gateway" is not based on a database. Intricate collection of static pages for databases and collections. Sorted by title, broad discipline and type (such as "data resources", "e-presses" and "Internet resources"). Not a particularly well-organized or intuitive site.

User Study?

No users studies have been done or planned.

UCLA

Summary of Web

Button choices on top banner: Hours, Map, Individual Libraries, News & Events, Student Quick Guide, Site Search, ORION (OPAC), MELVYL, Collections & Resources, Reserves, Instruction, Services.

Main section of the page:

Welcome to the UCLA Library, Individual Libraries & Archives, Library Collections & Resources (ORION, ORION2, California Digital Library, MELVYL, Collections & Internet Resources, Digital Resources), Library Services, Library Organization, Library Instruction, News & Events, Library Policies, Exhibits

Remarks

Local: ORION2 (Web-based OPAC) is under development. Networked resources are handled through a set of static pages with links. Organized by disciplines and type (e-journals, indexes, etc.) Same on MELVYL.

UC-wide: MELVYL - same as above. California Digital Library is under development (to open in January - not there yet on 1/7).

User Study?

No user studies have been conducted. They are thinking of doing one this coming year.

UC Berkeley

Summary of Web

Choices on Web site:

Using the Libraries (help, guides, hours, instruction, tours, map, starting your research)

Library Services (borrowing, inventory, renewal, photocopy services, others)

UC Berkeley (campus info, campus Web site)

Web Searching (search library web, search the Internet, other university and library sites)

List of libraries and Collections (go to pull-down menu)

Library Catalogs (Berkeley, UC, Other libraries)

Library Collections (Indexes and Abstracts based on a database, SunSITE, CD-ROMs, Printed Collections, New Acquisitions)

Internet Resources by Academic Discipline (static pages with a go to pull-down menu)

Electronic Reference Resources (based on a database with a go to pull-down menu)

Administrative and Staff Materials

Remarks

Local: GLADIS is the telnet OPAC, Pathfinder is the Web OPAC with hot links for some networked resources. They donít seem to catalog them all.

Web site provides access to networked resources - some ("reference resources) based on a database, others ("Internet resources" by discipline) based on static pages and pathfinders.

Berkeley Digital Library SunSITE "builds digital collections and services while providing information and support to others doing the same."

UC-wide: see under UCLA

User Study?

No information available

Columbia

Summary of Web

Library Catalogs

Reference

Digital Collections

Subject Guides and Resources

Internet Help

Special Projects

Individual Libraries

Training and Instruction

General User Services

Undergraduate Services

Library Events

About Columbia Libraries

Search the site option

Remarks

Web-CLIO is in test mode. Hotlinks to networked resources.

Electronic Reference Tools and Indexes (based on static lists) listed alphabetically, by subject and by resources type such as bibliographies, dictionaries, directories, etc.

Internet resources are dealt with by subject-specific guides (static lists.)

User Study?

No information available

(found no contact/mailto info on Website!)

Yale

Summary of Web

Welcome

Collections and Services

People and Events

Library Giving

Library Locations

Employment

Search the site - relevance ranked display

Orbis

Research Workstation

Hours

Library

Yale

Remarks

ORBIS on the Web - "early implementation" provides hot links to Internet resources - got error message when I tried it.

Research Workstation options:

ORBIS

Subject Guides

Databases and E-journals (alphabetically and by broad discipline categories - no underlying database)

Library Catalogs

Experimental Projects

Library Info

Search - same as search the Web site - relevance ranked display)

User Study?

No information available

Harvard

http://www.harvard.edu/museums/

Summary of Web

Web site shared with Harvardís museums.

Libraries by name, by school, by subject

Harvard U. Library administration

Library Resources:

HOLLIS (telnet)

Electronic Reference Services static list of libraries and electronic services they offer including CD-ROMs

HOLLIS - telnet OPAC with Web front end.

Could not get on because of some error. Hot links to networked resources.

HOLLIS Plus is their Gateway.

alphabetically and by subject (not based on a database)

New and Notable - announcements

No information available

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