One strategy for organizing outbound links is to interweave them throughout the site. Build pages specific to the link, including relevant resources, on-topic content, and other favorite sites. If there are any suspected penalties, do not name the links page "links.htm".
Resources instead of Links.
On the resources pages, use an <ul> or <ol> structure. Fashion your resource pages like the search engine results pages (title/description/image). This puts you one step ahead in gaining valuable positions.
As an option, include a small logo of the linked resource. This provides brand identity for the resource. Also, it adds a little more credibility to you and your resource.
Suggested guidelines.
Below are tips for organizing outbounds links.
Use no more than 20 outbounds from a single page. Ideally, keep it to 10 or less.
Do not exchange links for the sake of exchanging links. Often, a program is used to do this. This is a strategy with little, if any, positive return. It is a dated strategy and one producing mostly garbage pages in the eyes of the search engines.
Find resources with value to your visitors and link to them. Avoid "bad neighborhoods". Most of them come from automated link exchange programs.
Don't expect a link in return from a good resource. Don't threaten a webmaster with removal if they don't link back. It's the worst thing you can do!
Be careful with the number of acquired incoming links for a given period of time. If you suddenly jump from 50 inbounds to 500 inbounds, this may raise a flag somewhere.
Stay away from link power hoarding tactics. Provide a simple text link to your resources.
Do not send automated requests for link exchanges. A personal link exchange request between your resource and another of value to your visitors is acceptable. It's not the quantity of inbounds links, but their quality that matters.
Expect a linking campaign to be long term. Slowly develop outbound links. Sprinkle them throughout your site. "Don't put all of your eggs in one basket".
These are just a few things to consider when growing your resources. Too many people are focused only on quantity.
Conclusion.
If you are using the generated output of an automated link exchange program, don't expect long term success. In fact, do not expect short-term success. These types of link directories are getting purged from the search engines daily.
Create your own resource pages. Those automated link exchange programs are easy to detect. If you don't change their templates, you will fall prey to filters designed to detect them.