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Report
from the LibraryNet Workshop June 15-16, 1997
Appendix A: Brainstorming "Ensuring mutual benefit from LibraryNet" Appendix B: Initial Themes from "Ensuring mutual benefit from Library Net" Participants in LibraryNet Workshop Names of members of the LibraryNet Advisory Board are emphasized.
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PurposeThe purpose of the workshop was to bring together representatives of the LibraryNet Advisory Group with representatives of public libraries and the federal government to:
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Opening Discussion Elise Boisjoly and Diane Bays outlined how Industry Canada is playing a catalytic role to support Canada's development as a knowledge-based economy. Helping connect libraries and communities on the "information highway" is an important element of that role. The Community Access Program (CAP) provides funding support. Its aim is to connect approximately 10,000 communities to the Internet. Industry Canada is assisting in the development of strategic plans, identification of best practices, and support for pilot projects. Use of the Internet for training is an area of special interest. Sustainability of Internet access sites is another priority issue. In this regard, Industry Canada is considering a telecommunications access strategy. As well, the banks and phone card firms have been approached about pilot projects. Industry Canada sees a strong role for libraries in supporting learning opportunities for Canadians and the associated economic development arising from connection to the Internet. To date, some 1150 libraries (including 100% of the libraries in Nova Scotia) have been linked to the Internet. (Nova Scotia was able to achieve a "double-barrel" effect through connection both to the Internet and to on-line catalogues in public access sites in schools and libraries.) British Columbia and Prince Edward Island will also soon have 100% coverage of their libraries. Several participants pointed out that many provinces have similar objectives to those of Industry Canada and are moving ahead in this area independent of federal CAP support. CAP has, however, frequently enabled an increased level of service. As well, in some provinces, the majority of CAP projects have been led by libraries. Both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are signing memoranda of understanding with the federal government to jointly manage CAP. Other provinces are considering such agreements. There is strong support for CAP in many provinces: the need remains, however, to focus on the identity of libraries in the federal agenda. Some participants were still unsure of the federal vision for LibraryNet. In brief, Industry Canada sees LibraryNet contributing to increased access by Canadians to the information highway and to the enhancement of Canadian competitiveness within the global economy. In this regard, the role of libraries is still unfolding. In some areas, participants reported tensions between the school and library communities around issues of access and competing agendas. In such situations, CAP has sometimes worked against successful provision of services. Some school-based sites seemed to become less enthusiastic once they had installed the associated hardware. As well, schools are typically less accessible than libraries, especially during evenings and in the summer. Affordability is another key issue. Industry Canada is attempting to document the current situation, such as cost differences between rural and urban communities. Models of affordable access are being developed for consideration by federal and provincial Ministers. They will also be assessing the issue of minimum standards of public access, as well as options to address the huge regional variations in cost to build the infrastructure to enable all Canadians to have access to the Internet. Participants wanted to explore further how the federal government might use its leverage to encourage telephone service into all communities. Finally, participants pointed to the critical issue of the training of library professionals to support these initiatives. While there is a potential link to the work of ALARM, the federal government's withdrawal of direct support for training has placed all training funding in the hands of provinces. Their priorities are more likely to be on the long-term unemployed than on the upgrading of professionals. |
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Emerging Roles of Public Libraries In order to most effectively position LibraryNet for mutual advantage, participants explored the emerging roles of public libraries. Public libraries serve a role as economic incubators. In this role, they stimulate public discussion of the use and value of information, foster and lead specific projects to translate this discussion into action, and proactively stimulate the market for certain kinds of information. Such information might cover job creation in niche markets and types of business which are less dependent on physical location. In this capacity, public libraries work with organizations providing advice and education on economic development. The related role of educational support is being reinforced by the growth of modular learning among adults and youth. Work life and other demands create needs to serve people at a distance. Such library users must be independent of "physical place", but still connected. Support to adults' social and information needs, including those of life-long learning, is a role which schools are also seeking. A recent Nova Scotia survey ("Public Libraries in Nova Scotia: General Population Survey", April 1997) identified one of libraries' primary roles as that of "educational support centre for learners of all ages". (The other important public library roles identified in the Nova Scotia survey were "centre for research and reference information" and "discovery and learning centre for young children".) In some regions, as a result of educational funding cut-backs and other decisions, public libraries are becoming, de facto, school libraries. The reference and information role has changed dramatically as libraries sort through the "muddle" created by the information explosion. Validating, organizing and packaging information helps users to distinguish authoritative sources for retrieval. This can include the creation of content on the Internet which people can access from other locations (the "virtual library"). Public libraries will continue to have a role in the direct delivery of information and in the provision of advice around that information. Any discussion of emerging roles must reaffirm an existing role of equalizing opportunities for access to information. This reflects a strong value within the public library community. Free access is crucial to preserving that value. Technology allows greater access than ever before. In this regard, libraries have a role to help patrons and users to be computer- and Internet-literate: this can be especially useful in rural communities. Access to equipment, such as printers and scanners, is important to many library users. Partnerships can support libraries in providing better service, through technology, improved collections and other means. Public libraries can take advantage of consortia purchasing and collective acquisition of master licenses to reduce costs and so help ensure access. Some participants expressed concern that members of traditionally disadvantaged groups may be receiving less service, even as new users (e.g. 18-40 year-old males) are being drawn into public libraries by the available technology. With fewer resources, customer service is suffering. The Internet is still, to some, a middle-and upper-class phenomenon. Public libraries focusing on this service may not be meeting the needs of the severely disadvantaged. An associated concern is that traditional supporters of public libraries may see them as irrelevant or unimportant in light of technological change. Others felt that more library staff are "out front" providing service than ever before. Technology has freed up resources, rather than drawn them away. People with disabilities, youth, the poor, seniors and others on the "fringe" now have access through the Internet to sources which were previously unavailable. In some regions, public libraries are the only source of Internet access for many community members. Public libraries are increasingly serving as cultural gateways for communities. Libraries provide facilities for other organizations, helping them to create web sites and other communications tools. Libraries support community networks, bringing agencies together and informing the community about itself and its cultures. In their focus on community, libraries support citizens pursuing democratic goals. As well, individuals are using public libraries to express their own creative works to the wider world, through vehicles such as the Internet. Libraries serve as "publishers" of those individuals. Such support reinforces important values held by public libraries. It also highlights the interactive potential of libraries as modern-day "salon hosts". In this regard, libraries' role as validator of information rests at the retrieval, rather than at the expressive, stage. Revenue generation is increasingly important for public libraries. The Internet could prove to be a source of revenue. Businesses and community organizations could pay for services, such as preparation of world-wide web sites, training in basic skills for the information highway, etc. Such basic services can stimulate an appetite for more specialized ones, which can be provided by for-profit organizations in the community. Recreational reading and information remains a core role of public libraries. Some, such as the Vancouver Public Library, are even becoming tourist destinations! Finally, advocacy is key to the continued effectiveness and relevance of public libraries. Participants emphasized the need to have the above goals and objectives of public libraries on the agendas of every level of government across Canada.
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Round-Table with Doug Hull Doug Hull, Director General, Science Promotion and Academic Affairs, Industry Canada, joined the workshop for a round-table discussion on the morning of June 16. Mr. Hull opened his remarks by noting that schools and libraries are not traditional areas of activity for an economic development department such as Industry Canada. However, SchoolNet and LibraryNet make sense in the context of community development and the new economy of small, dynamic firms working in active communities. Connectivity will be a major engine of such development. The Community Access Program has successfully focused Ministers' attention on community economic development and connectivity. The federal government is looking for things to accomplish. It needs new, imaginative, bold ideas that address a range of issues (youth, national unity, economic development, etc.) simultaneously. Connectivity is an area which satisfies that need. To date, the voices of public libraries have been less audible to policy-makers than those of the telecommunications firms ("telcos"). Libraries will receive attention when they start to take initiatives. To this end, libraries need to identify the key things they want to accomplish through LibraryNet. Telcos have made public commitments to lower telecommunication rates for schools and libraries, but have so far presented no proposals. Industry Canada has been studying the costs for libraries to become access points. There is potential for public libraries to join together in a national buying program for connectivity: as "national" customers, libraries would get preferred rates. This would have special benefit for rural communities. Industry Canada is developing a vision of public access to the Internet. The Community Access Program is growing by 100% each year. Industry Canada aims to have 10,000 "sustainable access points" for public accessibility to the information highway. This is seen as important to Canada's overall social, political and economic development. The national costs are relatively modest. The question is what role public libraries will play in contributing to connectivity and public access. Libraries will lose any role they might have if they are not prepared to collectively make their case and take control. In the immediate term, Mr. Hull suggested that public libraries move on several fronts:
Participants raised several issues during the round-table. One involved the link between federal and provincial initiatives. Some provinces are exploring fibre optic and cable, which are less expensive and better than other approaches. It was hoped that the federal and provincial governments could combine resources. Some public libraries feel it is important to uncouple libraries and schools, despite the fact that governments often link the two. There is better understanding at the community level of the distinctiveness of libraries. Libraries are seen differently from schools as community access points. Each type of institution is accessed by the public in very different ways. Several participants argued that governments' goals for citizen access to the information highway often seem to be devices for downloading costs to libraries and individuals. Governments do not meet their responsibilities simply by publishing material electronically. This issue is central to the role of governments in serving the information needs of citizens in an informed, democratic society. Public libraries want some of the money which governments are saving by downloading their information responsibilities. While different communities will take different positions on issues of price and access, libraries must signal cost realities back to information providers. Information technology is changing the economics of all libraries. It would violate a core value of public libraries to use lack of reimbursement as a threat to block public access to information. Nevertheless, information providers, such as governments, will be expected to pay for distribution services which they previously provided. The broad issue is how to capture the billions of dollars of distribution value represented by electronic dissemination. Training of public library staff remains a critical issue in ensuring that the benefits of connectivity can be realized. British Columbia has a curriculum and process to support librarians in providing training to the public. Information on this package will be circulated. It may be usefully applied in other settings. Some participants expressed concern that Industry Canada's moves to sign memoranda of understanding with provinces on the management of CAP have not involved public libraries. Different groups have been involved in each province. It was suggested that the CAP committee structure is the most effective vehicle for library representation. There is a need for provincial strategies that go beyond mere reaction. There was great interest in proposals to work with Mbanx. Mr. Hull felt it important to ensure agreement among all the parties and adequate time for discussion. Efforts are being made to find practical models (through CAP sites) that can be used. It has been decided that New Brunswick will have an initial pilot site: Ontario and Alberta are also identifying sites. While there is a desire to respond as quickly as possible to Mbanx and New Brunswick, Mr. Hull doubted that progress would be as fast or as straightforward as hoped. Industry Canada prefers that a common approach be taken with the banks. He promised to keep participants informed of discussions. In closing, Mr. Hull emphasized his desire that LibraryNet work to a common agenda between Industry Canada and the public libraries. The need is to produce results over the next 18 months. |
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Ensuring Mutual Benefit Participants next brainstormed ideas around the issue statement "Ensuring mutual benefit from LibraryNet". (The output of the initial brainstorming is found in Appendix A to these notes.) The ideas were then regrouped into themes (Appendix B). Success indicators and key actions, accountabilities and "paying partners" were identified for most themes. These are provided in this section. A. FundingSuccess Indicators
Key Actions
B. Telecommunications RatesSuccess Indicators
Key Actions
C. AdvocacySuccess Indicators
Key Actions
Note: Training, Research and Public Relations must be persistent, consistent, ongoing and long-term. Be prepared for their "spin". D. Library VoiceSuccess Indicator
Key Actions
E. Integrated ContentSuccess Indicators
Key Actions
F. TrainingSuccess Indicators
Key Actions
G. StandardsSuccess Indicators
H. New RelationshipsSuccess Indicator
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Next Steps
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