{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,2]],"date-time":"2025-08-02T17:57:13Z","timestamp":1754157433710,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2006,1,1]],"date-time":"2006-01-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1136073600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,1,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>To examine and discuss the features of library portals and suggest further development of these research tools.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The two categories of library portals (horizontal or public, and vertical) were examined to establish the characteristics of some of the portal software available in the marketplace. The study involved carrying out a literature search and visiting demonstration sites. Some library sites that have implemented this software were subsequently examined in order to establish features of their sites, and to see how these sites have handled the information literacy\/research process.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Suggests that a well\u2010structured subject portal should be based on the principles of the flow of scientific information, and an information literacy component should be embedded in the portal. Such a portal could assist learners to become familiar with the breadth and depth of information resources relevant to their discipline. It should also assist librarians and learning advisers to become familiar with the information literacy requirements of specific subjects and courses. In this way, libraries should achieve their objective of making the learner information\u2010literate with minimal effort, and thus contribute positively to student learning outcomes.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper is a useful source of information for librarians considering investing in one of the commercial software tools and for those embarking on the development of subject portals. A pilot version of the subject portal implemented at the University of the Witswatersrand is shown.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The novelty in this work is the intuitive subject portal that is put forward; the elements and content of the portals are suggested.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/00330330610646799","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,3]],"date-time":"2006-07-03T16:18:21Z","timestamp":1151943501000},"page":"27-47","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Library subject portals"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"40","author":[{"given":"Felix N.","family":"Ubogu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Arthur","family":"Kekana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Charl","family":"Roberts","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b1","unstructured":"ARL (2001), \u201cARL Scholars Portal Working Group Report\u201d, Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC, available at: www.arl.org\/access\/scholarsportal\/may01rept.html."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b2","unstructured":"ARL (2004), \u201cARL Scholars Portal Project Report\u201d, Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC, available at: www.arl.org\/access\/scholarsportal\/SPupdateMay04.html."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b3","unstructured":"Badke, B. (2004), \u201cOnline research course at ACTS\u201d, available at: www.acts.twu.ca\/lbr\/research.htm."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b4","unstructured":"Boss, R.W. (2002), \u201cLibrary web portals\u201d, available at: www.ala.org\/ala\/pla\/plapubs\/technotes\/librarywebportals.htm."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cox, A. and Yeates, R. (2003), \u201cLibrary portals solutions\u201d, Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 55 No. 3, pp. 155\u201065.","DOI":"10.1108\/00012530310472642"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b6","unstructured":"De Rosa, C., Dempsey, L. and Wilson, A. (2004), 2003 Environmental Scan: Pattern Recognition, OCLC, Dublin, OH."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dewey, B.I. (2003), \u201cPortals and the human factor: bringing virtual services to the life of the mind or the scholarly stargazer\u201d, Journal of Library Administration, Vol. 39 No. 4, pp. 89\u2010101.","DOI":"10.1300\/J111v39n04_09"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fox, S., Manduca, C. and Iverson, E. (2005), \u201cBuilding educational portals atop digital libraries\u201d, D\u2010Lib Magazine, Vol. 11 No. 1, available at: www.dlib.org\/dlib\/january05\/fox\/01fox.html.","DOI":"10.1045\/january2005-fox"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gerrity, B., Lyman, T. and Tallent, E. (2002), \u201cBlurring services and resources: Boston College's implementation of MetaLib and SFX\u201d, Reference Services Review, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 229\u201041.","DOI":"10.1108\/00907320210435491"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Groenewegen, D. and Huggard, S. (2003), \u201cThe answer to all our problems? Trialling a library portal\u201d, Library Review, Vol. 52 No. 9, pp. 452\u20109.","DOI":"10.1108\/00242530310501473"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b11","unstructured":"Hamblin, Y. (2004), \u201cLibPortal project: case studies of portal implementation in higher education libraries \u2013 a report to the Joint Information Systems Committee\u201d, available at: www.lboro.ac.uk\/departments\/dis\/lisu\/downloads\/Lib%20Portal%20Case%20Studies%20in%20HE.pdf."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rozic\u2010Hristovski, A., Humar, I. and Hristovski, D. (2003), \u201cDeveloping a multilingual, personalised medical library portal: use of MyLibrary in Slovenia\u201d, Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp. 146\u201057.","DOI":"10.1108\/00330330310484350"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b13","unstructured":"Rozmus, B. (2002), \u201cAustralian Subject Gateways Forum: how the Australian Subject Gateways contribute to internet use in learning, education and training\u201d, Global Summit of Online Knowledge Networks, Adelaide, available at: www.nla.gov.au\/nla\/staffpaper\/2002\/rozmus1.html."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Somerville, M. and Vuotto, F. (2005), \u201cIf you build it with them, they will come: digital research portal design and development strategies\u201d, Internet Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 77\u201094.","DOI":"10.1300\/J136v10n01_06"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b15","unstructured":"University of Washington Library (2005), \u201cUniversity of Washington Information Literacy Learning (uwill)\u201d, available at: www.lib.washington.edu\/Ougl\/instructors\/uwill.html."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b16","unstructured":"Van Brakel, P. (2002), \u201cCampus portals for content: the next generation of academic websites\u201d, available at: www.dissanet.com\/jsp\/modules\/repository\/index.jsp?repository= Library&action=view_file&id=Library.1069159880562."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Van Brakel, P. (2003), \u201cInformation portals: a strategy for importing external content\u201d, Electronic Library, Vol. 21 No. 6, pp. 591\u2010600.","DOI":"10.1108\/02640470310509153"},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b18","unstructured":"Vuotto, F. and Schaffner, D. (2003), \u201cCalifornia State University Information Competence Grant: creating an Information Competence website for the Agribusiness Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA\u201d, available at: www.lib.calpoly.edu\/staff\/fvuotto\/agbusiness\/agb_icgrant.pdf."},{"key":"key2022031720310087200_b19","unstructured":"Wetzel, K.A. and Jackson, M.E. (2002), \u201cPortal functionality provided by ARL Libraries: results of an ARL survey\u201d, available at: www.arl.org\/newsltr\/222\/portalsurvey.html."}],"container-title":["Program"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emeraldinsight.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1108\/00330330610646799","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00330330610646799\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00330330610646799\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:55:15Z","timestamp":1753401315000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/dta\/article\/40\/1\/27-47\/323909"}},"subtitle":["An investigation of possibilities for the University of the Witwatersrand Library"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2006,1,1]]},"references-count":19,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,1,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/00330330610646799"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/00330330610646799","relation":{},"ISSN":["0033-0337"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0033-0337"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2006,1,1]]}}}