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February 2001 LibraryNet Monthly TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. LIBRARYNET CONNECTIVITY SURVEY RESULTSLast year, LibraryNet, along with its provincial and territorial partners launched their first on-line connectivity survey of Canadian public libraries. Preliminary survey results for some provinces are now available on the LibraryNet website. Results for the remaining provinces will be up by the end of March. The survey endeavored to provide base-line data on the number of computers connected to the Internet and the quality of these connections in libraries across the entire country, based on input from the library community. The results will assist LibraryNet and its provincial partners in designing programs that meet the needs of libraries. They will also assist in implementing the federal government's strategy to ensure public libraries can provide broadband service capability by 2004, as pledged in the recent Speech from the Throne. Respondents were notified using several means (e-mail, traditional mail etc.) but the majority of submissions were received on-line between August 28 and November 11, 2000. To view the
survey results: 2. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES INTERNET SAFETY STRATEGYOn February 15, Minister of Industry Brian Tobin, along with Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice, announced the launch of the Canadian Strategy to Promote Safe, Wise and Responsible Internet Use. This new initiative aims to increase public awareness of issues relating to illegal and offensive Internet content by providing parents and teachers with access to a broad collection of tools and resources, highlighted in a 24-page booklet. Other components of the strategy include promoting effective self- regulation by the Internet industry, strengthening law enforcement tools, and implementing hotline reporting systems. The launch took place at the Ruth E. Dickinson Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, an urban CAP site. Wendy Newman, CEO of the Brantford Public Library and a member of the National Broadband Task Force, was the master of ceremonies. The Canadian Library Association (CLA) was recognized for its leadership in the area of public education and policy development on safe and smart Internet use. At the launch the Media Awareness Network announced the formation of a partnership with CLA to develop the library component of Web Awareness Canada, a national bilingual program to promote safe and informed use of the Internet. The strategy also invokes the support of Internet service providers and companies that manage the creation of or access to online content. The Canadian Association of Internet Providers unveiled an Internet Protection Portal, which features Cornwall Public Library. For a copy
of the booklet: For more
information: 3. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE ADDRESSES CONNECTEDNESS AGENDAOn January 30, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson opened the current Parliament by delivering the Speech from the Throne. Many of the directions outlined in the Speech were relevant to the information highway and Internet technology. According to the Speech, one of the government's objectives is to "improve Canada's status as the most connected nation in the world," based on the six parts of the Connecting Canadians agenda (Canada On-line, Electronic Commerce, Smart Communities, Connecting Canada to the World, Government On- line and Canadian Content On-line). The federal government will continue to support the Community Access Program and SchoolNet, and plans to enhance SchoolNet to create more on-line learning content. Support for Canada's Digital Collections and other digital content creation initiatives will also continue. Work will continue towards putting government services on-line by 2004. The government also plans to modernize federal privacy law, provide better copyright protection for new ideas and knowledge, and respond to the advice of the National Broadband Task Force on how to make broadband access widely available by 2004. The Speech also states that Canada will contribute to closing the global digital divide, through participation in the G-8 Digital Opportunities Task Force and investment in developing countries. The full
text of the Speech from the Throne is available on-line at: 4. IMPACT OF GATES COMPUTERS ON LIBRARIESThe first published report on the impact the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Library Program is having on American public libraries, patrons, and communities appears in the current issue of Library Journal. The article, written by Margaret Gordon, Andrew Gordon and Elizabeth Moore of the University of Washington's School of Public Affairs, provides an independent assessment of the impact in public libraries in the first U.S. states to receive Gates funding (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi). According to the article, "librarians and library staff report that they were unprepared for the popularity of the computers and the number of new patrons who come to use them." About one-third of the computer users surveyed for the article said that they had never been to the library, or had only been once or twice, before the computers were installed. The article concludes that the Gates computers are making a substantial contribution to bridging the digital divide. Low-income or unemployed patrons, and those with high-school or less education, were some of the most frequent users. The authors claim that library staff morale is up due to the computer donations, although workloads and stress have increased as well. They also discuss librarians' concerns regarding training, maintenance, and sustainability issues. To read the
full article: 5. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION STUDYWomen of all ages and backgrounds are invited to participate in a study exploring how women search for health information on the Internet. Although the World Wide Web is one of the most popular sources for health information today, its use for this purpose has not been researched in any detail. This study will investigate how women use the Internet to find health information, how women's health information needs and their responsibilities as family caregivers influence their searching, and how the characteristics of the Internet itself affect the search for health information. For all components of the study except the online questionnaire, participants must have an IBM- compatible PC with Internet access at home and use Netscape 4 or Microsoft Explorer 5 as your Web browser. They must also reside in the greater Toronto area, or be willing to complete two interviews (approximately one hour each) remotely by phone or Internet communication software. Any woman is welcome to complete the online questionnaire portion of the study. The study is being conducted by Christine Marton, a fourth year doctoral student in the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto with a background in human biology and information science. For more
information or to answer the online questionnaire: 6. U.S. LIBRARY FILTERING LAW TO BE CHALLENGEDThe U.S. Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was signed into law on December 21, 2000. The Act, which was attached as a rider to an Education Appropriations Bill, requires schools and libraries that receive federal funds to filter all Internet access computers in an attempt to block visual depictions of material deemed inappropriate for children. The bill is intentionally broad, leaving local communities and schools to choose their own filtering technology and define terms such as "obscenity." U.S. federal government funding sources affected include the e-rate program, the Library Services and Technology Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Schools and libraries have three months to submit filtering plans. The American Civil Liberties Union and the American Library Association (ALA) have announced their intention to challenge the Bill in court. For more
information: 7. BRANTFORD LOVES ITS INTERNET COMPUTERSThis month, the Brantford Public Library invited all patrons and visitors to sign Valentines to be mailed to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and to Industry Minister Brian Tobin, in thanks for funding programs which allowed the library to expand its public Internet service. CEO Wendy Newman had the opportunity to present the Valentines to Minister Tobin at the launch of the Canadian Strategy to Promote Safe, Wise and Responsible Internet Use. Several hundred signatures were collected from children, mothers on behalf of their families, seniors, and library staff. Dave Levac, MPP for Brant, came in to the library to write a personal note of appreciation to the Minister. Brantford Public Library staff were pleased by the positive reaction of the public, who were thankful for the opportunity to participate and pass along thanks themselves. Together, Industry Canada's Community Access Program (CAP) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided over $100,000 in funding to expand free Internet access for the public. The funds provided not only computers, but also training for staff to meet a growing need. Brantford Public Library was one of the first public libraries in Canada to offer public Internet access, but it has been struggling to meet high public demand for the service. According to CEO Wendy Newman, "This is the breakthrough we need. We have now installed Internet access in our children's department, added walk-up access in the form of the new 'Internet Express', and expanded the Internet area in our Reference Department and St. Paul Avenue Branch. Before this, people had to book terminals in advance, sometimes days ahead, to get on the Internet." For more
information: 8. BC URBAN LIBRARIES DOUBLE PUBLIC ACCESS TERMINALSA project to upgrade public access to the Internet through BC urban public libraries has been completed. The project was jointly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Industry Canada, and BC municipalities and urban libraries. Industry Canada funding was supplied through the Community Access Program (CAP) and has resulted in 67 urban public libraries becoming CAP sites. As a result of the project, the number of public access computers available has more than doubled from 400 to 900, and workstations for the use of patrons with disabilities have been installed at branches of the Surrey, Coquitlam, Vancouver, Greater Victoria, and North Vancouver City Public Libraries. Seven computer labs have been installed, and training activities continue to expand with courses being offered to multicultural populations, job seekers and seniors. Some libraries have created permanent positions for Internet training. Industry Canada provided a quarter of the total project funding. The balance was provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the libraries themselves and/or municipal governments, and other sources (such as HRDC). For more
information: 9. MORE CANADIANS SWITCH TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET?A new market research study suggests a million Canadian households plan to upgrade their Internet connection from dial-up telephone service to higher-speed connections within the next six months. The study, conducted by NFO Interactive Canada, found that 59 per cent of Canadian homes with Internet currently have dial-up access, while 34 per cent have broadband access through cable TV lines or digital subscriber lines offered by phone companies. These faster forms of Internet access are expected to gain significant market share this year. By mid-2001, claims the survey, 51 per cent of the home Internet market in Canada will have some form of high- speed Internet access. NFO is part of the CF Group, one of Canada's largest market research firms. Their survey of 2,296 online Canadian adults was conducted over the Internet during November, 2000. For more
information [PDF format]: 10. NEW U.S. ADMINISTRATION MAY SLASH DIGITAL DIVIDE PROGRAMSThe Bush administration may slash U.S. federal government programs providing computers and Internet access to poor and/or rural areas. News reports have suggested that the U.S. Commerce Department budget proposal for fiscal year 2002 will cut funding for the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) by about 65%, from $42.5 million to $15 million (US). During a press conference earlier this month, the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Powell, likened the digital divide to "a Mercedes divide -- I'd like to have one, I can't afford one." However, not all Republicans oppose the TOP. Representative Fred Upton, a Republican from Michigan, is the new chair of the House Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. In a letter to the Commerce Department, Upton wrote "I am a dedicated fiscal conservative ... However, the goal of using technology to improve the lives of all Americans, and to better prepare all of our youth for tomorrow, must be neither overlooked nor underfunded." Since 1994, TOP (previously known as the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program,or TIIAP) has provided about US$150 million in matching grants to state, municipal and tribal governments for technology projects designed to improve libraries, public health services and education. A reduction of funding for TOP would be a significant change in policy from that of the Clinton administration, which first popularized the phrase "digital divide." The Commerce Department budget proposal will be officially submitted on April 6, 2001. For more
information: 11. CONSUMER REPORTS TESTS FILTERSIn the current issue of Consumer Reports magazine, a four-page article details the results of the organization's tests of six popular filtering software programs and AOL's Parental Controls service. They conclude that "most of the products we tested failed to block one objectionable site in five." The article also discusses the blocking of legitimate but possibly controversial sites; AOL's Parental Controls blocked the largest percentages of these sites. The software tested included Cyber Patrol, Net Nanny, and Cybersitter. For more
information: 12. AWARDS FOR INNOVATION AT OLAThe Ontario Public Library Service Awards for Innovation,the Angus Mowat Awards of Excellence and the W.J. Robertson Medallion were presented at the Ontario Library Association Super Conference on February 3, 2001. The Awards for Innovation were given to:
The Pickering Public Library was one of two winners of the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence, in recognition of outstanding public service. In cooperation with the City of Pickering, the library developed a website on "Starting and growing a small business in Pickering". It assists local small and home-based businesses by providing online versions of common business forms and links to other relevant websites. The W.J. Robertson Medallion for Librarian of the Year was awarded to Barbara Clubb, CEO of the Ottawa Public Library, for her leadership in the provision of public library service. A six-member jury drawn from the library community determined the recipients. To view the
award winners: 13. CANADIAN DIGITAL DIVIDE PAPER ONLINE"The Digital Divide in the Liberal State: a Canadian Perspective" by William F. Birdsall was published in the December 2000 issue of First Monday. Birdsall's paper examines the development of Canadian public policy on universal access to the Information Highway within a North American context and its potential for addressing the digital divide. Birdsall is Executive Director of Novanet, a consortium of academic libraries in Nova Scotia. First Monday was one of the first peer-reviewed journals on the Internet; it publishes original articles about the Internet and global information infrastructure. To read the
full article: 14. MORE ACCESS THROUGH URBAN CAPThree Urban Community Access Program (CAP) launches took place this month. On February 7, the Medicine Hat Public Library celebrated its acquisition of two Internet access computers with special features to make them easier for patrons with disabilities to use. The adaptive equipment includes large screen monitors, large keyboards, software to enlarge the images on the screens, large trackballs and height adjustable tables. A closed circuit TV which enlarges print is also available. On February 12, Kitchener Public Library opened its new Computer Centre to kick off Technology Week at the library. The state-of-the art lab, in the main library branch, offers access to twelve computers equipped with word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software and Internet connections. Single terminals were also installed at three community branches. Funding for the new computers came in part from the Gates Foundation, as well as Urban CAP. On February 27, the Thunder Bay Public Library unveiled 11 new Internet computers at the Brodie and Waverley branches. These fully-equipped machines are designed to deliver courses, tutorials and other Internet learning tools to library patrons. For more
information: 15. BURNABY LEARNING NETWORKOn January 16, the Burnaby (BC) Learning Network received a funding grant of $300,000 from Human Resources Development Canada, through the Office of Learning Technologies (OLT). The Learning Network will offer skills development courses to help Burnaby residents become more knowledgeable Internet users. Participants in such courses will learn a variety of Internet related skills, such as how to develop an interactive website. Internet reference services through local libraries, online course registration, a community directory and newsletter, and multi-lingual training programs will also be made available. The Learning Network will be accessible through four Burnaby Public Library branches, schools in the Burnaby area, and the Technology Learning Centre. The project was developed in partnership with the Burnaby Public Library and Burnaby School District 41. Established in 1996, the OLT exists to promote the benefits of lifelong learning with a technological focus. It works in partnership with other governments, businesses, labour and learning institutions to raise awareness and expand the use of innovative technologies for adult learning. For more
information: 16. FIRST EBOOK AWARDSThe first annual Frankfurt eBook Awards were presented last year during the Frankfurt Book Fair, October 2000. The International eBook Award Foundation (IeBAF) sponsored six awards to be presented annually in several categories, including a grand prize of $100,000 for the best-published eBook. The grand prize of $US 100,000 was split between E.M. Schorb, Paradise Square (Denlinger's Publishers Ltd.) in the fiction category, and David Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi (Simon & Schuster) in the non-fiction category. Most nominees for the 2000 eBook Awards came from established, New York-based publishing houses, rather than smaller, independent e-publishers. For more
information: 17. NEW ONTARIO CABINET AND LIBRARIESOn February 8, Ontario Premier Mike Harris announced changes to the provincial cabinet, which will have an impact on Ontario public libraries. Responsibility for culture (including libraries) now belongs to the new ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, under the leadership of Tim Hudak. A state-of-the art "e-government" agenda was announced with plans for a one-window ministry for businesses and individuals requesting government information or using on-line services. Norm Sterling, appointed as the Minister of Consumer and Business Services, will be responsible for this initiative as well as co-ordinating the government's approach to the protection of privacy. For more
information: 18. CANADIANS WATCH TV LESS, SURF INTERNET MOREAccording to new figures from Statistics Canada, the average Canadian watched 21.6 hours of television a week in 1999, down one hour from the year before and the lowest average viewership in two decades. During the same time, the number of households with at least one regular Internet user rose from 36% to 42%. Movie attendance also hit a 38-year high of 112.8 million visits, the seventh consecutive year of increases. Residents of Quebec have long been the Canadian leaders in television viewing time, yet even in that province, television use decreased from 1998. For more
information: 19. CDC AND BC HERITAGE YOUTH SUCCESS STORYThe Hazleton Public Library has produced the "Biggest Little Rodeo in the West", a digital collection profiling the annual Kispiox Valley Rodeo, through the BC Heritage Websites Program. The BC Heritage Websites Program is a joint partnership between Canada's Digital Collections Program of Industry Canada, the BC Heritage Trust, the BC Ministry of Education, and the BC Museums Association. The program provides funds for young British Columbians (ages 15 to 30) to build educational web sites using content from museums, galleries, historical societies, archives, universities and other repositories of BC's natural and human history. As a result of her participation in the project, Laurette Lapalme, a young Aboriginal resident of Hazleton, was able to launch a new career as a Program Officer for the local Community College. To view the
"Biggest Little Rodeo in the West" webpage: 20. USEFUL INTERNET RESOURCESe-Laws Frequently
Asked Questions about E-books 21. CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTSInternet
Librarian International 2001 The third annual Internet Librarian International 2001 covers Internet services, Web tools, case studies of Internet and Intranet librarians, content management, future issues and trends, as well as strategies for libraries using the Web - creating digital collections, providing services virtually, training and instruction, and more. Catering to leaders and learners, Internet Librarian International 2001 will be of interest to all information professionals. The conference includes an extensive exhibition and access to the London Book Fair. For more
information or to register: Ontario Public
Internet Access Conference Join CAP site representatives at the first province-wide conference on Public Internet Access to network with CAP site administrators and organizers, share best practices, and develop strategies for continuing to enhance public access in the future. A representative from each Ontario CAP organization has been invited to attend free of charge. Additional representatives can attend (if facility space permits) upon paying the $125 registration fee per person. For more
information: Information
Highways 2001 Conference & Product Exhibition Information Highways is Canada's leading event for the Internet content community and a premier learning experience about user-driven Internet content. The program will feature 5 themes including Knowledge Management at Work; Government Online; Enterprise Knowledge ROI; Internet Publishing & Distribution; and Power Users. For more
information or to register: Summer School
on the Digital Library Course 1:
The Management of Change For more
information or to register: 67th IFLA
Council and General Conference Sub-themes of the conference include: Advancing the Leadership Role of the Librarian in the Information Age; Delivering Lifelong Learning Across Space and Time; Managing Information and Technology in the Knowledge Age; Making a Difference to Government and Industry in Economic Development. For more
information or to register: If
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