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June 2001 LibraryNet Monthly TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. NATIONAL BROADBAND TASK FORCE RELEASES REPORTOn June 18, the National Broadband Task Force released its report "The New National Dream: Networking the Nation for Broadband Access," which outlines its recommendations to the government on how best to make high-speed broadband Internet services available to all Canadian communities by the year 2004. "Broadband" was defined as a high-capacity, two-way link between an end user and access network suppliers capable of supporting full-motion, interactive video applications. Major recommendations of the task force include:
The report states that "the current experience of public access sites, especially in public libraries, indicates that the demand is actually growing and not declining." The task force included members from every region of Canada, representing industry stakeholders, users in the library, education, and health communities, digital content producers and rural communities, as well as public interest and Aboriginal groups. The task force also heard from Canadians via online submissions and through consultations conducted in rural communities by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Canadian Rural Partnership. For the full
text of the report: For more
information: 2. CHILDREN ON THE INTERNETOn June 21, the Media Awareness Network released the results of their survey of Internet use by Canadian students. "Young Canadians In A Wired World: The Students' View" is a nationwide investigation of Internet use among Canadian youth, exploring what they do online, how they perceive the Internet and what they know about it. The survey results reinforce the fact that Canadian youth are highly engaged participants in the online world. However, the data also presents findings which show that, in this age of connectivity, there is a substantial discrepancy between how parents see their children using the Internet, and what their children are actually doing online. (The study follows "Canada's Children In A Wired World: The Parents' View," a March 2000 survey in which Canadian parents were asked about their perceptions of the Internet, and their awareness of its benefits and potential risks.) Parents believe they know where their children are going online, while more than one-third of young people say they erase the history that shows what Web sites they've visited, either always (12%) or sometimes (24%). In addition, many students have email addresses which their parents are unaware of. When asked if they have their own e-mail account, 71% of youth say yes, but only 38% of parents said their children had private email accounts. Most young people also say they are not supervised regularly when they go online. Majorities say their parents never sit with them while they surf (68%), never use filters to block sites they don't want them to go to (65%), or never check to see which sites they've visited (54%). Parents think their children use the Internet chiefly for homework, but kids say communication and socializing are the most important functions of the Internet. 65% of parents said they thought their kids use the Internet primarily for schoolwork. Students cited playing music and email as their two top Internet uses. Two American studies focusing on children online were also released this month. One, produced by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, appears in the current Journal of the American Medical Association. The other report is from the Pew Internet and American Life Project. The UNH study found that one in five children who regularly go online is approached by strangers for sex. Yet 75 percent of the young people who had been propositioned online said they were not distressed by the experience and merely ignored it, according to the Pew study. For more
information: 3. LIBRARIES CONTINUE TO BE RATED AS BEST SERVICE PROVIDERSThe Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) recently commissioned an in-depth study of Canadians' views of government services. "Citizens First 2000" found that Canadians rate 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 report is a sequel to one done in 1998 by the federal government's Canadian Centre for Management Development, which found equally high ratings of public library services. For more
information: A report
summary is available in PDF format at: 4. DOUG HULL RECEIVES CLA AWARDDoug Hull, former Director General of the Information Highway Applications Branch of Industry Canada, received a William C. Watkinson Award from the Canadian Library Association for "outstanding contributions to the Canadian library community by those not currently working as librarians." The award was given for Mr. Hull's tireless work to ensure that Canadians across the country can access the Internet at their public libraries through the Community Access Program (CAP). He was among one of the earliest senior government leaders to recognize the unique potential of public libraries to make the CAP strategy a success and equitable access a reality. "The world-leading program has been our most effective national approach to bridging the digital divide," said Wendy Newman, incoming CLA president. Mr. Hull's work also includes the development of the Digital Collections initiative and the Computers for Schools and Libraries program. The CLA/Information Today Award for Innovative Technology was presented to the Waterloo Regional Library (WRL) for the creative use of wireless technology in teaching Internet skills to residents in rural communities. A wireless mobile Internet teaching lab allows the WRL to meet strong demand for Internet and computer training, as well as the challenges of a widely scattered population base, extremely limited space in rural branches, and old buildings which would require extensive re-wiring to accommodate new computers. The lab consists of six laptops, which can be quickly set up anywhere there is a single connection to the Internet. The mobile lab solution enables library staff to provide technology training outside library walls. It also serves as a potential source of income for Waterloo Regional Library as it delivers customized computer and Internet training to community organizations and businesses on their sites. The awards were presented on June 13 in Winnipeg, as part of the Canadian Library Association's annual general meeting and conference. For more
information: 5. NEW BRANTFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY WEBSITEThe Brantford Public Library (BPL) website has been newly redesigned, in partnership with ELibrary and Rogers New Media. The purpose of the redesign was to create a more effective gateway to the twenty- four hour "virtual library," rather than an online brochure about the library that happens to have proprietary data bases linked to it as well. The BPL also ran a promotional campaign to encourage new visitors to the site. The campaign featured a contest for which the winner will receive a charter trip to a Blue Jays game with 15 friends, plus food. Hits on the library site have more than tripled, and new memberships to the library (a library card is required to access the proprietary databases) are up by 50% over the same period last year. A session on the BPL's redesign was presented at the CLA conference. Visit the
new BPL site at: 6. THREE INDUSTRY CANADA PROGRAMS FINALISTS FOR INTERNET AWARDSThree Industry Canada programs - the Community Access Program (CAP), VolNet, and NetCorps Canada International - are among the one hundred finalists in the Stockholm Challenge. CAP was nominated in the Public Services & Democracy category for its efforts to provide all Canadians with universal and affordable public access to the Internet, and VolNet, an initiative to enhance the technological capacity of the voluntary sector, is a finalist in the New Economy category. NetCorps Canada International is a finalist in the Global Village category for "Cyberbaobab", its virtual learning support network for in-field international IT volunteers. In all, there are twelve finalists from Canada. The winners of the seven categories will be announced in a ceremony at the Stockholm City Hall on September 26, 2001. The Stockholm Challenge is a global arena for pioneering IT projects that focuses on the benefit technology can bring to people and society. It is a non-profit initiative of the City of Stockholm open to private, public and academic contestants. For more
information: 7. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA ANNOUNCES FREE AMICUS AND NEW BOOKS SERVICEDuring the annual conference of the Canadian Library Association, Roch Carrier, National Librarian of Canada, announced that the vast database of the National Library of Canada, AMICUS, is now available to all Canadians, free of charge. AMICUS, which includes the catalogue of the National Library of Canada (NLC) as well as records for items held in all of Canada's major research libraries, had been available only to those libraries that could afford the subscription fee. This barrier has now been eliminated. The AMICUS service provides Canadians with access to the premier collection of materials about Canada and beyond - a database of 22 million books, magazines, newspapers, music, videos, government publications, and more from the collections of 500 Canadian libraries. Canadians can also find out if a library in their municipality or province holds the item they are searching for. And as more and more publications are made available online, a growing number of AMICUS records link directly to the electronic documents they describe, making AMICUS a key gateway to the country's digital library collections. In addition, working in partnership with Canadian publishers, the NLC has designed an innovative electronic showcase for new Canadian titles. The New Books Service is a searchable, bilingual digital collection of forthcoming print and electronic releases. The new service is an enhancement to the Library's Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) program, which enables books to be catalogued before they are published, and facilitates the prompt distribution of this cataloguing information to booksellers and libraries. The New Books website will feature CIP data, as well as book cover art, table of contents, sample text, information about the author and illustrator, and links to information on how to purchase the title. Reviews and information about awards and author readings will be added at the post-publication stage. For more
information: 8. NOVA SCOTIA ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION INITIATIVESOn June 14, the Consumer Health Information Community Access Program (CHICAP) site was launched at Dalhousie University, dedicated to helping members of the public to reach verified, on-line health information. CHICAP is two CAP sites in one; at the computer lab, users will find not only computers with high-speed Internet access, but also staff to assist in the search for health information. For those with an Internet- connected computer at home or work, access to health data is available through the CHICAP website links to a limited set of trusted on-line sources of consumer health information, as well as tutorials on critical evaluation of health information and other topics. The Nova Scotia Health Network is being modelled on the Western Health Information Partnership (WHIP), a successful health information cooperative between the Western Counties Regional Library, the Western Regional Health Board Library and provincial health care providers, that has been operating in western Nova Scotia since 1996. Both WHIP and the Nova Scotia Health Network take advantage of consumer health information resources and expertise that have been available for a long time and package them as a seamless virtual interface, even though they are offered by different organizations. For more
information: 9. SASKATCHEWAN TO BRING BROADBAND TO ENTIRE PROVINCEOn June 7, Westview Elementary School in Estevan, Saskatchewan became the first of more than 1,500 facilities in 366 communities to be connected to the province's CommunityNet. CommunityNet is a three-year, $71 million connectivity initiative designed to extend high-speed, broadband connectivity to public institutions, including 216 public schools, across the province. CommunityNet infrastructure is currently being installed in a number of communities around the province, including Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Weyburn, Swift Current and Prince Albert. The plan calls for more than 250 facilities in various towns and villages to be connected to CommunityNet this summer. CommunityNet, along with similar initiatives in the Yukon and Alberta, was recommended as a national model for broadband delivery by the National Broadband Task Force in its recent report. For more
information: 10. VIRTUAL CHARLOTTETOWN SMART COMMUNITY LAUNCHEDThe Virtual Charlottetown Smart Community's official launch on May 22 was a great success. The festivities included special guest appearances by the Fathers of Confederation Players and Anne of Green Gables. Organized around the concept of a town square, Virtual Charlottetown intends to become the community's social, cultural and economic focus for the 21st century through four smart services. The interactive Community Builders' Forum will allowing citizens to exchange information on everything from event schedules to community news to services such as public safety, tourism and health. The Marketplace will go beyond e-commerce, enabling citizens to exchange encrypted information and hold video conferences. Community Explorations will enhance existing Geographic Information System (GIS) services, providing accurate maps to locate services, sites of interest and businesses. It will also provide virtual tours of heritage areas and galleries. Finally, the Learning Centre will offer interactive, multimedia distance education through Holland College and the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), as well as an on-line integrated library service. Virtual Charlottetown will receive over $4.5 million in matching funding from Industry Canada over three years. For more
information: 11. THE ALBERTA LIBRARY GOES ONLINEOn June 18, The Alberta Library (TAL) Online service was launched at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. TAL Online is an Internet-based union catalogue of the materials and electronic resources of most libraries in the province. It allows library patrons the ability to search for books, magazines, CDs, publications and more from 232 libraries across the province at a single entry point. The site will tell the patron what materials are available and where they are located. Cardholders can order materials from any library in the province through the library at which they hold a membership. To search
TAL Online: For more
information: 12. APLEN FUNDING CONTINUED BY ALBERTA GOVERNMENTThe Alberta Public Library Electronic Network (APLEN) received $1.5 million in funding in the April 2001 Alberta provincial budget, through the ministry of Community Development. APLEN funding falls under the province's Preservation Goal number 18, ensuring that "Albertans will have the opportunity to enjoy the province's natural, historical and cultural resources." One of the key strategies to achieve that goal is to "coordinate and support a province-wide library system and continue the development and long-term sustainability of the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network." The Steering Committee met with the Node Directors and their senior staff after the funding announcement was made to try to prioritize needs; with that input, the Steering Committee is drafting a strategic plan for the future direction of APLEN. Alberta public libraries will soon receive a final report for the previous APLEN funding, "Delivered on a Highway of Dreams," detailing its accomplishments and the excellent work done by the community in support of APLEN. APLEN staff are also completing work on the APLEN Performance Measures Project, during which site visits were made to almost all Alberta public libraries. A report later this summer will summarize the results. To view the
Alberta budget synopsis: To read the
interim report of the APLEN Performance Measures Project: 13. CANADA LEADS WORLD IN HOME INTERNET USEMedia Metrix Canada reports that the average wired Canadian spends more than 15 hours online at home each month, or about 30 minutes each day. The United States was rated second, followed by Germany, Japan and Brazil. According to the report, the number of wired Canadians has grown 14% since May of 2000, but home Internet use nearly doubled during the same period. Last year at this time, the average Canadian spent approximately 17 minutes online at home each day. The most time spent online was by women age 45-49 at nearly 22 hours. The least time spent was by children aged 2-11 at 238 minutes (just under 4 hours). Boys aged 2-11 tended to spend about an hour longer online than girls the same age. For more
information: 14. E-GOVERNMENT APPEALS TO CANADIANSOnline voting would be readily accepted by Internet users in Canada, according to the results of a new poll from the CF Group. Two thirds of Canadian Internet users polled said they would vote over the Net in municipal, provincial, and federal elections if they could. Forty percent already visit a government website at least once a month. The most popular government sites are those to do with employment, taxation, and education. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents said they preferred conducting personal business with the government over the Internet, rather than dealing with a government employee face-to-face. For more
information: 15. RESEARCH ON COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND PUBLIC LIBRARIESThe final results from "Help-seeking in an Electronic World: The Role of the Public Library in Helping Citizens Obtain Community Information Over the Internet" have been released. The University of Michigan School of Information and the University of Washington Information School jointly investigated the ways public libraries harness the power of the Internet to provide digitized information to their communities, and explored public library involvement in community networks. The study conducted national surveys as well as case studies of three public library/community networking systems in northeastern Illinois, Pittsburgh, and Portland. The study revealed that a majority of libraries distribute community information in digitized form, for which community networks are primary vehicles. Users seek community information about employment, volunteerism, social service availability, local history and genealogy, local news, computer and technical information, as well as other people. The Internet has not replaced the role of social ties in citizens' information behavior but is supplementing their information-seeking behavior. People believe they are accessing hard-to-get and higher quality information more easily with decreased costs in time and money. Users also tended to be highly confident that they could find what they needed through the Internet, despite some discrepancy between what they think they can obtain and the likelihood that that information exists and can be easily located. Community networks have a multiplier effect, providing benefits to community organizations, to individuals, their families and their neighborhoods, as well as to the larger community. While networked community information services are strengthening American communities and enhancing the roles of public libraries, most librarians indicated that they lack the tools needed to show this. The next phase of this on-going research project will focus on creating tools and measures designed to help librarians demonstrate the impact of public library community information services. For more
information: 16. G8 DIGITAL DIVIDE TASK FORCE REPORTThe "Digital Opportunities for All: Meeting the Challenge" report is based on the collaborative work of the Digital Opportunity Taskforce (DOT Force), composed of members from the public, private and not-for- profit sectors from G8 nations, as well as participants from developed and developing countries. The DOT Force was conceived at last summer's G8 summit in Okinawa as a way to help close the "digital divide" - the limited access to communications technologies among the world's poorer citizens. The report acknowledges that at least one-third of the world's population has never even made a phone call, much less seen or used a computer. However, the report also notes that many of the development goals identified by the United Nations - including greater emphasis on education and gender equality, and reduction in poverty and infant mortality - could be achieved much faster with the help of Internet technologies. The DOT Force report includes a series of recommendations for action, including the creation of an "International eDevelopment Resource Network" made up of regulatory and policy experts from both the northern and southern hemispheres. These experts would serve as consultants to governments seeking to lay the groundwork for private investment in a more modern telecommunications infrastructure. The report also contains recommendations aimed at increasing cooperation between international health care providers, as well as boosting the amount of non-English language content online. The task force also recommends that private and nonprofit sectors in developing nations emphasize efforts to connect schools and ensure adequate teacher training. At the upcoming G8 Summit in Genoa in late July, leaders are expected to form a cohesive action plan based on the report's recommendations. For more
information: A copy of
the DOT Force report is available at: 17. LOWER-INCOME GROUPS IN UK MOVING ONLINEInternet research specialist NetValue says that the Internet in the United Kingdom is no longer reserved for the well-off, but has become a mass market medium. NetValue gathers monthly "establishment report" data in the UK and several other countries. Statistics recently released show that the largest group online is now the low-income earner. As of the end of April 2001, there were 13.59 million total home Internet users online, with 26.9 percent of users earning 600 pounds ($850) a month. By contrast, just 8.3 percent of Internet users earn more than 4,000 pounds ($5,680) a month. Jannie Cahill, a spokesperson for NetValue, said that flat rate Internet access deals have been one of the factors drawing lower income users online. For more
information: 18. USEFUL INTERNET RESOURCESDirectory
of Digitized Collections Internet
Librarian Hall of Fame Strategic
Communications in the Digital Age Digital
Reference Resources 19. CALL FOR PAPERSInformation
Deficit: Canadian Solutions The University of Calgary and University of Montreal are pleased to announce a national interdisciplinary forum to examine the presence of Canadian content on the Internet. The conference will result in a policy document that suggests action aimed at increasing and improving Canada's presence on the worldwide web. Conference organizers are seeking panelists from all sectors who care about Canada's presence in a wired world. For details
on how to submit a paper and become a panelist: For more
information: 20. CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTNetspeed
2001 The Netspeed conference keeps librarians up to speed on library technology and skills. There will be sessions to suit everyone's level of technological sophistication on topics including web site usability, teaching your users the web, hosting web communities, marketing your library's technology services, technology-based children's services, sustainability, JAKE and blogging. For more
information: If
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