Description: This paper discusses applying user-centered design principles to redesign The Portal to Texas History. Abstract: The IOGENE project at the University of North Texas Libraries applied user-centered design principles to redesign the interface to a unique digital library of cultural heritage materials, The Portal to Texas History. Since its launch in 2004, the interface had become dated and implementation of new functionality was constrained by the underlying technical infrastructure. Genealogists, a significant and under-studied class of digital library users, participated in the redesign of the Portal's interface. At the outset of the project, focus group discussions provided insights regarding genealogists' information needs as well as their research practices in relation to online information systems. In large part, these insights informed the functional requirements for the redesign of the Portal's user interface. Subsequent to each of two public releases of the redesigned interface, genealogists were engaged in usability testing. An online survey measured user satisfaction prior to and after the new interface was released. Results determined that satisfaction with the Portal significantly improved after the final release of the redesigned interface. The project's process and findings will be of interest to archives and digital libraries facing similar challenges in regard to ...

Description: This video presents The Portal to Texas History collection in the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries. It shows images from the collections including photographs, maps, newspapers, text documents, and objects.

Description: This presentation discusses The Portal to Texas History and how collaborations with other organizations has helped add to the collection. In this presentation, the author illustrates examples from The Portal to Texas History with information about metadata management, quality issues, and the automated systems in place by the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' Digital Projects Unit.

Description: This article discusses the development of The Portal to Texas History. Abstract: Purpose: To help information professionals learn about issues and considerations in portal building. Design/methodology/approach: The University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' Portal to Texas History provides long-term storage and access to digital copies of important original materials illuminating Texas' past. This article describes the development of the Portal technology and content - presenting objectives, processes, and future plans - and defines the larger goal of facilitating collaboration among resource-holding institutions. Findings: Practical aspects of creating and populating the Portal include development of specifications and standards, construction of an application framework, selection of content, production of metadata, and refinement of user interfaces. Planned future enhancements to the Portal will augment sustainability and provide added value for users. The Portal project may also serve as a catalyst for wider collaborative efforts in digitization. Originality/Value: The Portal to Texas History project's experiences described in this article will inform other stakeholders seeking to develop innovative uses of Portal technologies.

Description: This presentation discusses The Portal to Texas History and the University of North Texas (UNT) Digital Library collections. It also discusses the invisible internet, other Texas digital collections, other large digital collections, major digital collections in other states, subscription databases, and gives strategies for searching all of these databases.