[Tasl] NEW TEL PORTAL!

[Sue Maszaros]

The New TEL Portal has been launched! www.tntel.info 

Here are some important changes you need to know:

1. TRACKING USAGE STATISTICS: Individual libraries will not be able to get accurate statistics if they run their users through the new portal at this time. Because of the geolocation software, the TEL Portal was setup as the main TEL site and all visits to the site and searches will be counted at the consortial level. Individual library profiles will be built in to the TEL Portal over time (beginning this summer) with the assistance of Auto-Graphics, the vendor for the federated search and geolocation software. Once a library has been setup with a profile, then that library should be able to send patrons through the TEL Portal and track their usage statistics accurately. See the Especially for Libraries page of the TEL site for more information http://tntel.tnsos.org/libraries.htm

2. For patrons who go through the TEL Portal, passwords will no longer be necessary to access the TEL databases (with one exception http://tntel.tnsos.org/faqs.htm#7) For patrons who do NOT go through the TEL Portal, passwords will still be required. The TEL passwords HAVE NOT changed. 

3. If your library website posted direct URLs to each of the TEL databases, your library does NOT need to change these. The direct urls are still valid and may continue to be used on your library's website. See the Especially for Libraries page of the TEL Portal for more information http://tntel.tnsos.org/libraries.htm#direct  Also, if your library is linked to http://tntel.tnsos.org you do NOT need to change anything. The new site has automatically replace the old site. 

4. You may access individual TEL databases directly by going to the A to Z List of the TEL Website. See http://tntel.tnsos.org/libraries.htm

5. For a brief orientation to the new site, please go to http://tntel.tnsos.org/tutorials.htm I hope to have a webcast tutorial posted by Thursday, which will contain more in-depth information about the new features of TEL. 

The TEL Portal will be a constant work in progress, meaning I will be making small updates all of the time in order to make it better. Hopefully another radical change like this one will not come for a very long time. 

Thank you all for your support of TEL and for helping me to make TEL a more useful resource for all Tennesseans. 

Sue


Sue Maszaros
Special Projects Coordinator
TN State Library and Archives
403 7th Avenue North
Nashville, TN  37243
Phone:  615.532.4627
sue.maszaros at state.tn.us