"Best Practices" 2002:
Innovative Internet Use in Canadian Public Libraries

Prepared by Danielle Pilon for LibraryNet, June 2001.

• Community Partnerships
• Supporting Local Economic Development
• Electronic Service Delivery
• Content Creation
• Access/Digital Divide

Canadian public libraries are using the Internet to connect their communities to the wider world, encourage local economic development, support lifelong learning and deliver programs in the most convenient manner possible.

The Internet enables libraries to network with the communities they serve, both literally and figuratively. Partnerships with other community organizations and government departments allow small public libraries to make a big impact on the Internet, while using scarce resources to the fullest. Library web pages can also help contribute to local economic development and help promote their communities world-wide by highlighting tourism and local business information.

The Internet also allows even the smallest library to expand its services by adapting traditional library functions for delivery through the Internet. Libraries can offer searchable databases, improve distance services, and answer reference questions online. Some libraries use digital media to encourage traditional literacy by promoting new material and reader's resources online. Many libraries use their staff's expertise in evaluating and cataloguing materials to select and organize the web resources their patrons will find most valuable.

Content creation continues to be one of the leadership areas of Canadian public libraries. From snapshots of local history to interactive quizzes, libraries are presenting uniquely Canadian material to a world-wide audience.

Community Partnerships

• The Surrey Public Library's "Community Connections" website began as a result of an initiative developed by the City of Surrey's Social Planning Committee to improve information sharing amongst residents, community organizations and government agencies. The library volunteered to host the community website which organizes and links the various non-profit agencies in Surrey that have a presence on the web. An interactive form on the site encourages new community groups to get connected.
• The London Public Library and CHUM Television are establishing North America's first library-based Media Literacy Centre in London's new Central Library. The Media Literacy Centre will ensure users have full access to first-rate print, electronic and audiovisual materials will be available to students, teachers, librarians, parents, consumers and anyone else interested in developing an informed and critical understanding of the media's role in society.
• Last spring, hundreds of people attended the "Spin the Web" Internet exhibit hosted by the Oakville Public Library. Displays, presentations and special offers from exhibitors showcased the latest in computers, computer education, connectivity and e-commerce.

Supporting Local Economic Development

• Staff of the Prince Rupert Public Library designed and built their own Internet kiosk running on Linux/GNU. Installed at the local airport, it displays a series of colourful webpages with information on the library and its services and has been well-received by both tourists and locals.

Electronic Service Delivery

• In collaboration with an American non-profit website, the Winnipeg Library Foundation launched an online shopping mall to support its fundraising campaign for the proposed Millennium Library expansion. With every purchase from one of over 140 popular online retailers, a commission goes to the Foundation. Online donations are also accepted through the Foundation's website.
• Halifax Regional Library completely redesigned its website to offer all the latest functions as an "e-branch". As well as registering for a library card online, visitors can now find adult education courses in the community or online. At the Readers Café, they can gather ideas on what to read next, suggest a title for the library to purchase, review a book online, access best-seller lists, and join an online book club.
• Last fall, the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library created an online "Search and Win" contest for high school students designed to teach online research skills, promote the library website to youth, and emphasize the importance of having a library card. Kids registered online, chose a topic to research, and were e-mailed a question to answer using tips from the library web pages. Correct answers were entered into a draw for prizes, but all entries received a reward for participating. The contest was such a success that the library plans to hold another this year.
• The Alberta Library, a province-wide consortium, developed TAL Online, a web-based catalogue for more than two hundred public and post-secondary libraries in the province. A unique feature offers links to outside reviews of some of the resources in the catalogue.
• The New Brunswick Public Library Service launched its online provincial union catalogue this past winter. In addition to searching the catalogue (in English or French) for resources available at any public library or bookmobile in the province, patrons can check the status of their library accounts and renew items online.

Content Creation

• The Hazleton District Public Library produced a "Biggest Little Rodeo in the West" digital collection profiling the history and traditions of the annual Kispiox Valley Rodeo.
• The "Club de lecture virtuel" of the Bibliothèque municipale de Lac-Mégantic is designed to encourage reading among kids six to fifteen. It's all here - online quizzes for hundreds of French children's books, links, artwork, and a place to post book reviews. Access is for fee during the school year, but free during June to September.
• The Deux-Montagnes Public Library has created a "Web Quiz" to introduce kids to some of the best sites on the Internet in a light-hearted way.
• "The Native Peoples of Simcoe County" is a unique contribution of the Innisfil Public Library, relating the native history of a specific geographic area while putting it into context with the history of Ontario and North America in general.
• The Windsor Public Library (in partnership with the City of Windsor and the University of Windsor) created "ICity: Historic Sites of Windsor," an innovative new online tool using sophisticated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software to track over time the changing history, geography, and architecture of the historic Walkerville district of Windsor.

Access/Digital Divide

• Four Saskatchewan public libraries are working with the provincial government on the Digital Training Project, a program designed to bridge the digital divide and assist Saskatchewan citizens in expanding their computer and information skills. Partners are the Saskatoon Public Library, Pahkisimon Nuye?áh Library System, Southeast Regional Library, and Palliser Regional Library.
• The Toronto Public Library is a partner in kids@computers, a Toronto Social Services initiative to provide home computers and printers for children in families receiving social assistance in Toronto. Each recipient's family attends three orientation and training sessions given by the TPL.