Gale Aims to Transform the Online Library Experience with Gateways

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Gale, part of Cengage Learning and a leading publisher of research and reference resources for libraries, schools and businesses, today announced Gale Gateways, an innovative program for public libraries. Designed to represent the unique way in which a community interacts with its public library, Gale Gateways bring together thematic products and services to provide an organized approach to help patrons find and use information. Unlike anything else on the market, Gale Gateways will help libraries demonstrate their value and worth to their community.

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"With Gale Gateways we wanted to recreate a patron's in-library browsing experience 'virtually,' while also helping library staff better serve their patrons," said Nader Qaimari, senior vice president, marketing, Cengage Learning. "Gale Gateways does this by bringing library users to an environment where resources can easily be discovered, providing relevance, meaning and transformative power. With Gateways, customers not only receive special pricing on a thematic grouping of online resources and eReference, but also value-add services including Gateway web, marketing and training/programming support."

Web support includes the customizable Gateway web portal tool and search engine optimization. The Gateway portals can be linked from the library's main website, are easy to configure and can link directly to any library resource – whether it be a Gale resource or not. Customization is a key feature of the portal tool, from content to logos, colors and text, librarians have full control of the Gateway look, as they are the ones that serve the community and know them best. Customers can give their Gateways any name, allowing them to tap into their current library branding if they choose, along with localizing their site with relevant community information.

Customized marketing materials, along with a new type of training/programming from Gale's Customer Education Specialists, will extend the Gateway brand deep within a library community. Library staff training, direct to the public training, as well as templates and tools, will help staff create their own relevant community workshops around Gateway themes.

The themes of the first Gateways to be released include Business; Jobs & Career; Health & Wellness; Homework Help; and Home, Hobbies & Entertainment. Gale is working closely with customers to further explore all the possibilities within these first Gateways, as well as other themes to come. Feedback from current customers has been positive.

"We purchased the Homework Help Gateway from Gale as it will be of invaluable assistance to our younger patrons as they complete assignments, do homework and research projects," said Peggy Murphy, Interim Collection Services Manager at Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). "LAPL is committed to providing as much help as possible to the students in our communities. The Homework Help Gateway optimizes all our resources with the goal of helping students succeed."

For more information on Gale Gateways, please visit http://www.gale.com/galegateways or visit the Gale booth (#1804) at the Public Library Association meeting in Philadelphia, March 14-16. For questions or a free trial, please contact Kristina Massari at [email protected].

About Cengage Learning and Gale
Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs – from homework help to health questions to business profiles – in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.cengage.com.

SOURCE Cengage Learning