Transcript Public Library Networking

Public Library Networking
Sarah Ormes
Public Library Networking
Research Officer
UKOLN
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
Email:
[email protected]
1
Today and Tomorrow
•Current situation
• services
• national policy
•Future developments
• possible services
•Ways forward
2
Current Situation in UK
Libraries
•74% of library authorities have an
Internet connection
•9% of libraries have an Internet
connection
•5% of public libraries provide public
access
•Majority connect via dial-up or over
council networks
3
What Do The Statistics Mean?
•Services vary greatly
• Dependent on local vision
• Dependent on local finances
•Low staff awareness
•Erratic training levels
•But lots of enthusiasm
4
Actual Services
•Reference library use
•Public access Internet services
•Catalogues online
•Community information online
•Public library web sites
5
Reference Library Use
•An new reference resource
• CLIP (Croydon Libraries Internet
Project)
•E-mail in reference questions
• Individual libraries
• Ask A Librarian
6
Public Access Internet
Services
•Service provider varies
• Library run
• Coynet
• Input/Output
•Charges vary
•Policies vary
• Filtered or not filtered
•Mainly for adults
7
Catalogues Online
•Very common in academic libraries
but still very rare in public libraries
•How interactive is?
• Can you reserve books?
• Can you view your library record?
•How useful are web catalogues
really?
8
Community Information
Online
•Making the database web accessible
•Croydon Online - developing web
pages for the local community
• Businesses
• Schools
• Local clubs
•Project CIRCE
9
Public Library Web sites
•Majority are
• static
• unimaginative
• online leaflets
•Not controlled by the library
•There are exceptions to the rule
though
10
Leeds Online
•Council wide information
•Interactive and dynamic
•Local history photos
•searchable archive
•webcards
•videos
•chatboard
11
New Library:
The People’s Network
•A timely vision
• content driven
• scenario led
•Importance of training
•New Library briefing pack
12
Outcomes
•Gaining Government’s ear
• All public libraries (where practical)
connected by 2002
•Re-direction of lottery money
• £50 million for content
• £20 million for training
• Possibly for books and infrastructure
too
•Wolfson money
13
Other Policies To Consider
•National Grid for Learning
•Green paper on Lifelong Learning
•Cross sectoral collaboration
•Regional developments
14
Lifelong Learning Centre
•Access point to online education and
training
•New forms of collaboration with other
sectors
•The use of public library material in
digital learning packages
15
Public Access Services
•A routine service
•Training classes provided by
librarians
•Used by the public to
•do research
•book holidays
•interact with government
•talk to gorillas
•A free service?
16
Children’s Services
•Providing access to validated
resources
•Working with schools
electronically
•Using electronic resources to
promote literature services
• Stories From the Web
17
Content Led Services?
•More public information online
•Local history and local studies
collections digitised
• working regionally
• working with other sectors
•Literature services developed
• Online bookshops already doing it
18
The 24 Hour Library
•Moving the library out of its building
• Not just a catalogue
• Access to databases via web pages
• Taking content off the shelves and onto
the network
•Improving services
• More effective outreach
19
The Future - Part One
•Should 100% connectivity (where
possible) the only aim?
• The American experience suggests not
•Sometimes painful re-assessment of
aims and priorities
•New staff skills required
20
The Future - Part Two
•Funding from new sources
• Commercial partnerships
• Cross-sectoral partnerships
• Public library partnerships (EARL)
•Developing a wider vision
• Regionally
• Culturally
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