Chapter 3

Libraries and portals

Chapter 1: Navigating Information Literacy 1

Learning outcomes
After reading this chapter, you should be able to answer the
following questions:

• What are portals, gateways and library websites?

• What features are typically available on the homepages of library

websites?

• How do I search for information using a library catalogue?

• What are the functions of a library catalogue?

2
Types of libraries

• Public or community libraries

• Special libraries

• Academic libraries

• National libraries
Image credit: Rawpixel.com. Shutterstock

• Digital libraries

Image credit: The World in HDR. Shutterstock

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals

Library websites - explore

https://www.library.up.ac.za/

• Operating hours

• Catalogue

• Ask a librarian

• Training tutorials

• Guidelines for referencing

• Guidelines on plagiarism

• Interlending

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals 4

Using a library catalogue

• Different resources and sources of information contained in libraries. Library

catalogues make it possible to find all of these.

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals 5

Portals

• Portals: websites that serve as a single point of entry to sources and resources.

• Types of portals:

o Subject portals

o Enterprise portals

o Government & Country Portals

o Regional portals

o Portals of international organisations.

Image credit: Rawpixel.com. Shutterstock

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals 6

What is the difference between portals and
gateways?
Portals

• May allow users to personalise and customise interface, set profiles and preferences

• May serve to share information with other users (chat, email, shared calendars,
central scheduling)

• May offer variable access to information for different users

Gateways

• Simply a single point of entry without additional functionalities

Practically speaking: terms are often used interchangeably.

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals 7

Example of a portal (or is it a gateway?)

Visit the South African Covid-19 portal at https://sacoronavirus.co.za/

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals 8

Summary

In this chapter, we have looked at the following:

• Different types of libraries

• Websites of libraries and the services offered

• The similarities between library websites an portals and

gateways

• Different types of portals

• The difference (or not) between portals and gateways.

Chapter 3: Libraries and portals 9