Electronic Resources Gateways: Why & How?
Mars Hot Topics, ALA Annual 1999

Definition: Big 'G' or Little 'g'? Web site as "Big G"; electronic resources as 'small g'?

Discussion Focus: Should electronic resources be identified outside the OPAC? Even if your OPAC is Web-enabled? What rationale / objections can be offered?

• What are defining characteristics of gateway?
• Subject Headings for Gateway access: What is your scheme? LC, Institution Majors/Degree programs? Intuition?
• What resources qualify for a gateway-subscription only? Free Web? Who selects? Cataloged?
• Are you using programs to automate the way Gateway 'pages' are generated, or are you maintaining static Web pages individually?
• How are you integrating 'gateway' resources with your ILS? Dual maintenance streams?
• What groups work on this project, and what kind of charge do you have?
• Does Web4Lib or do other listservs discuss this issue?

University of Pennsylvania
Program generated Web pages by subject, category, format; elegant but not OPAC integrated

Michigan State University
OPAC record links to gateway shared 'connection page' with resource URL link

Cornell University Libraries
Generated subject, format, category pages; plan to interlink with OPAC records

University of Washington Libraries
Program generated Web pages by subject, category, format, etc. Electronic resources have assigned subject categories, that are hypertext links, but not interlinked with OPAC

Brown University Gateway to electronic resources by subject, but including related links to print resources; hyperlinks between gateway pages and OPAC

California Digital Library

Ohio State University
eway to both print and electronic resources arranged by LC class; static subject Web pages, but records linked from OPAC