I have recently come across another interesting portal service that some others here may wish to take a look at:

http://Libraryspot.com

They also port to an associated trawl of all the news on the web:
http://www.headlinespot.com

Here’s what they say about their service overall:
About LibrarySpot.com
Simplifying the Search for the Best Library and Reference Resources on the Web
Welcome to LibrarySpot.com, a free virtual library resource center for educators and students, librarians and their patrons, families, businesses and just about anyone exploring the Web for valuable research information. Thanks for stopping by! We hope that you find LibrarySpot.com to be a useful, engaging and invaluable resource for online research.

We created LibrarySpot.com to break through the information overload of the Web and bring the best library and reference sites together with insightful editorial in one user-friendly spot. Sites featured on LibrarySpot.com are hand-selected and reviewed by our editorial team for their exceptional quality, content and utility.
Published by StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc. in the Northwestern University/Evanston Research Park in Evanston, Ill., LibrarySpot.com is the first in a family of vertical information portals designed to make finding the best topical information on the Internet a quick, easy and enjoyable experience.

To date, LibrarySpot.com has received more than 30 awards and honors. Most recently, Forbes.com selected LibrarySpot.com as a "Forbes Favorite" site, the best in the reference category, and PC Magazine named it one of the Top 100 Web Sites. LibrarySpot.com has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, CNBC and in many other media outlets.

… Each month, we send out a free e-mail newsletter filled with the latest and greatest library and reference resources.