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February 1999 LibraryNet Monthly LIBRARIES RATED AS BEST SERVICE PROVIDERSThe federal government's Canadian Centre for Management Development and five provincial governments recently commissioned a survey of 3000 Canadians on their attitudes towards service delivery by both public and private institutions. Canadians rated public libraries as one of the best performing public or private institutions, surpassed only by fire departments. Perceptions of library service were even higher if the respondent had visited one within the past year. The full
report is available online in PDF format: REPORT ON SMART COMMUNITIES RELEASEDThe Blue Ribbon Panel recently released its Report on Smart Communities. The panel, chaired by David Johnston, includes members from fields such as telecommunications, libraries, education, law, community development, small business, and municipal governments. Its report provides recommendations for achieving the government's goal of creating one Smart Communities demonstration project in each province, the North and an Aboriginal community by the year 2001. The recent budget provided $60 million in funding for these projects over the next three years. "Smart Communities" are towns and cities that use information and communication technologies in new and innovative ways to empower their residents, institutions, and region. Smart Communities make the most of opportunities that new technologies can offer for better health care delivery, education, training and businesses. Public libraries' mission and the Smart Communities vision are closely linked. One of the criteria for communities seeking to become demonstration projects is an existing "smart infrastructure" to which the majority of residents have access, including libraries. The full
text of the report is available online at: For more
information: NEW LOOK FOR LIBRARY NETThe LibraryNet website has just been given a completely new graphic design, courtesy of Industry Canada staffer Mark Demeny. Our new look incorporates several stock photographs of libraries, and we're looking for more. Mark says: "Because the images fade out, you need to have the main focus of the image in the center of the image, with 'filler' on the edges of the photo, allowing a good, gradual change. Any format is acceptable, colour or black and white." If you have photographs of your library that fit his description, send them in! We may be able to use them on our web page. We are especially interested in images of library patrons using computers. See our new
design at: If you have
photos, mail them to: "THE FATE OF LIBRARIES" ON CBC RADIOThree librarians, all leaders in technology and library service, were interviewed last month by Michael Enright on This Morning -- Liz Hubbard, Librarian of the Torfield Municipal Library (AB), Cate McNeely, Assistant Librarian of the Richmond Public Library (BC), and Donald Mills, Director of Library Services for the Mississauga Library System (ON). The topic was whether the "information age", with its huge impact on the printed word, spells doom or opportunity for libraries. All three librarians spoke persuasively and passionately for the thesis that libraries aren't about to disappear in the new millenium, but can instead combine the best of traditional services with the new technology that patrons have come to expect. For more
information: HEALTH DIGITAL LIBRARY PROJECTUniversity of Western Ontario information and media studies professor Yuri Quintana recently received a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to investigate the usefulness of health information on the Internet and how it can be made more accessible to patients. In the first phase of the study, volunteer patients will assess the quality of breast cancer information currently available on the Internet. In the second phase, a second group of patients will give feedback on an indexed web site, or digital library, providing information and links to other sites. (The site is expected to be online by summer 1999.) In the last phase, Quintana will evaluate whether the digital library improves communication between patients and their doctors. Professor Quintana is also seeking seed money from the Ontario government for a study to track health usage of the Internet and find out how people feel about going to a public library to search for health information on the Internet. For more
information: HRDC PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIBRARIES IN CAMBRIDGE AND TORONTOThe Cambridge Public Library, in partnership with Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), recently launched public access Internet service at one of its branches. When fully operational this spring, the service will be available at all four library branches, seven days a week, with a total of ten workstations available for public use. The goal of this project is to provide Internet access for the residents of Cambridge through their Public Library, thus ensuring increased availability of information relating to employment opportunities and career development. Since library staff have identified questions relating to job searching or career development as among the top five most commonly asked, it is expected that information accessible through the Internet will be a major contributor to meeting HRDC's mandate of assisting clients in finding employment. The Toronto Public Library received two HRDC grants, in 1997 and 1998, which were used to set up approximately 50 workstations in 20 libraries for public Internet access. The workstations provide public access to HRDC databases as well as general Internet access. The Toronto Public Library is currently involved in a new partnership with HRDC involving their Virtual Reference Library. The VRL is a web site which will provide general library services, as well as "gateways" to specialized information and services. The Career and Employment gateway is targeted to be available online by the end of June, 1999 and will provide links to a comprehensive selection of links covering all aspects of career development, such as job hunting, resumes and interviews. For more
information: CANADA-SASKATCHEWAN AGREEMENT BROADENS PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESSOn February 15, 1999, Natural Resources Minister Ralph Goodale (on behalf of John Manley, Minister of Industry), the Honourable Carol Teichrob, Minister of Saskatchewan Municipal Affairs Culture and Housing, and Ken Vaughan, President of the Saskatchewan Library Association (SLA) announced the signing of an agreement to connect almost all public libraries in Saskatchewan to the Information Highway. The agreement will enable Saskatchewan people lacking home computers and Internet connections to access the Information Highway at local libraries or public Internet access sites. Industry Canada's Community Access Program (CAP), the Saskatchewan Provincial Library and the SLA, in partnership with the province's 10 public, regional and northern library systems, will establish more than 70 new community Internet access sites in public libraries throughout Saskatchewan. This will bring the number of Saskatchewan public libraries connected up to almost 300 out of 330. Shared public Internet access through community libraries represents a continuation of the strong tradition of resource sharing and collective ownership fostered by Saskatchewan public libraries. For more
information: ANGUS MOWAT AWARDSThe 1998 Public Library Service Angus Mowat Awards of Excellence, which celebrate excellence in Ontario's public libraries, were awarded on January 22, 1999. The two winners were selected by an independent jury drawn from the library community. North Bay Public Library won for its Dionne Quintuplets Digitalization project, which is authorized by the surviving Dionne sisters and has over 3,000 separate images about the Dionnes including news articles, pictures and full text of out-of-print and ephemeral books and pamphlets. Through the web site the resources of several different collections have been joined together to provide easy online access for both a local and international audience. The site has had nearly 10,000 hits since it went live. Toronto Public Library won for its Mystery Mansion Summer Reading Club, 1998. This program, the first run by the new amalgamated library, incorporated the best elements of the summer reading clubs offered by the former library systems. It included an interactive web site where children were able to solve puzzles and mazes, view book lists and hot links, and email the library with their comments, book reports and submissions for a writing contest. Some 40,000 children were registered participants. LIBRARY INVOLVED IN LITERACY INTERNET TUTORING PROJECTStan Dromisky, MP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan, on behalf of the Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, recently announced funding for the "Youth Cruising-Youth Working" literacy project in Atikokan (ON). The project's objective is to increase youth literacy by encouraging young people to use the Internet. The Atikokan Public Library will produce a manual in plain language to help young people use the Internet and organize a six-week course to train six local youths with low computer and literacy skills to become Internet tutors. Higher literacy skills among young Canadians enable them to participate more fully in our economy and our society. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting action on literacy and initiatives that promote Canadian competitiveness in a knowledge-based economy. For more
information: OTTAWA LIBRARY DEVELOPS ONLINE CURRICULUM RESOURCEOttawa Public Library has created "Science and Technology: books, web sites, videos, and CD-ROMS for students from the collections of the Ottawa Public Library," a resource kit for elementary teachers, students and parents to support the new science and technology curriculum being introduced in Ontario classrooms this year. OPL librarians and a Young Canada Works student, sponsored by the Canadian Library Association through Human Resources Development Canada, reviewed and compiled the best materials by grade level and subject area for each aspect of the curriculum. For more
information: ALBERTA LIBRARY LENDING COMPUTERSThe Red Deer Public Library is launching a new program to get technology into the hands of Red Deer residents who might not otherwise have that opportunity. The Technology Lending Project, or "TechShare", allows patrons over the age of 18 with a valid Red Deer Public Library membership to sign out a computer just as they would a library book. Computers will be loaned for a three month period with the possibility of two renewals. Ninety-nine Macintosh Color Classic computers were purchased by Partners in Education through a lottery grant and loaded with basic software for word processing, database and spreadsheet operation. Technical assistance to new users will be available through the Red Deer Apple User Group, and the Red Deer Further Education Council is planning a series of computer classes through neighborhood schools. For more
information: VOLNET LOOKING FOR DELIVERY AGENCIESOn February 10 the VolNet National Advisory Committee report, "Building the Technological Capacity of the Voluntary Sector", was released. VolNet is a a three-year, $15-million effort to bring Canada's voluntary sector on-line. Its goal is to offer connectivity to 10,000 organizations by March 31, 2001 and to provide access to computer equipment, basic and applied Internet skills development, and support. The report was produced by 28 voluntary and private sector representatives from across Canada and recommends that the Government of Canada establish up to 30 VolNet delivery agencies, with at least one in each province and territory. To be considered, groups applying to be delivery agencies must have a strong mix of Internet and voluntary sector experience. These delivery agencies will promote VolNet and its services within their communities, inviting individual voluntary organizations to apply. In some areas of the country, libraries have expressed interest in taking on this role. Organizations interested in becoming delivery agencies should obtain a copy of the VolNet Delivery Agency Proposal Guide. Proposals are now being accepted and agencies will be established at regular intervals up to October 1, 2000. For more
information: If
you have information you would like featured in the next issue of LibraryNet
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