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October 2002 LibraryNet Monthly TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. CANADIAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES LEADERS IN GLOBAL REFERENCE PARTNERSHIP On September 16, the Vaughan Public Libraries (Ontario) and the Surrey Public Libraries (British Columbia) launched a unique international initiative which links public libraries around the world to provide reference service around the clock. In partnership with Southampton City Libraries in the United Kingdom, the Canadian libraries have created the "Global Librarian" online reference service. "We knew that we could not go the route of employing additional staff out-of-hours, so our solution was to seek a small group of public libraries in different English-speaking time-zones around the world that wanted to work together to solve a common challenge," said Rosemary Bonanno, Chief Executive Officer of the Vaughan Public Libraries. This international public library partnership developed a high-quality out-of-hours reference service for their patrons, soon to extend to twenty-four hour service year-round, for a cost of less than CDN$500. All of the libraries have similar population profiles and service philosophies, including the determination to provide website visitors with the same high standard of service received by walk-in visitors. During the planning phase of the project, staff in the partner libraries received intensive training in each other's library practices, local community characteristics, and the educational, regional and national contexts in which the local libraries operate. At the same time, staff collaborated by e-mail to establish a common website, with common protocols and procedures to ensure patrons would receive the same standard of response they get in their local branches. By the end of the year, an Australian partner will be on board to deliver overnight service to the North American partners, and vice versa. To view the
Global Librarian service: For more
information: 2. HRDC PARTNERSHIP WITH NOVA SCOTIA LIBRARY Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library (PARL), and the Northern Nova Scotia Community Access Program Working Group Committee (NorthCAP) have begun discussions on offering the new online Appli-Web Employment Insurance Registration through libraries and CAP sites in Pictou County and northern Nova Scotia. HRDC is interested in partnering with Nova Scotia public libraries and CAP sites because of their extended opening hours and the equitable access, one-on-one assistance, and welcoming environment they provide. It is hoped that offering Appli-Web in libraries may reduce the stress associated with unemployment and filing for benefits in a traditional HRDC office. Clients will also be able to use other resources available in the library for job seeking. The first steps are underway. Promotional maps for HRDC offices that indicate the location of public access in the area are being designed, and Appli-Web orientation will be provided to library and CAP staff by HRDC staff. Library staff will not be expected to answer questions related to filing, but will assist patrons in accessing and using the equipment and software. In return, HRDC staff will be given orientation to library and CAP services. PARL will also provide a prominent link to Appli-Web on its Virtual Library home page and promote the service through its regular advertising. For more
information: 3. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN CANADA A new Statistics Canada research paper, "The Digital Divide in Canada," assesses the extent of the digital divide and how it is evolving. While Canada's digital divide appears to be shrinking slowly, according to the report, the gap in Internet use persists between people with the lowest incomes and those with the highest. The Internet age is passing by substantial numbers of Canadians who do not have the money or opportunity to participate. In 2000, 77% of households with the highest 10% of incomes used the Internet; that was five times the rate of 15% among those with the lowest 10% of incomes. The proportion of new users coming from households with lower incomes has been increasing. However, from 1996 to 2000, it was middle-income groups who picked up the largest share and accounted for proportionately more Internet users. The report also analyzes the urban-rural digital divide in Canada, as well as gaps based on level of education, family type and age. For more
information, or to read the full report in PDF format: The Human Oriented Technology Lab at Carleton University recently published "The Digital Divide in Canada" by Matthew Young, a master's student working at the Lab. The paper reviews the international literature on the digital divide, discusses the unequal diffusion of technology across socio-economic classes, and provides a brief history of Canadian initiatives aimed at bridging this divide. The full
text of the paper is available online at: 4. E-BOOKS AND CANADIAN PUBLISHERS On September 18, the Globe and Mail published an overview of the e-book market in Canada. According to a survey released this summer, e-books have so far failed to penetrate the mass market. The article quotes Monique Smith, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, in agreement: "Maybe as the technology and the platforms get better, e-books might still gain popularity. But for those people who are worried that the train has left the station, I don't think the train has even moved." Canadian book retailers are similarly tentative about embracing e-books, claiming that customer demand hasn't been strong enough. E-books are slightly more popular in the United States. HarperCollins claims it sold more e-books in the first half of 2002 than in all of 2001, and other U.S. publishers are reporting similar results. But the devices, software and purchasing processes are still too complex to attract an audience that isn't technologically knowledgeable. According to the article, the major problems are the inability of present-day technology to create an e-reading device that feels and looks like paper, and the profusion of non-compatible hardware platforms. As a result, many publishers deem it too costly to try to accommodate all of the differing platforms, especially when some may soon become obsolete. However, not all Canadian publishers are avoiding the e-book phenomenon. Toronto-based Coach House Books claims to be the only publisher in the world to make its entire list of current titles - more than 60 full-length works of poetry, fiction and drama - available on the Internet. Electronic versions of Coach House titles are not available for e-book readers; they can only be viewed online, and printing them at home would yield a poor reproduction. While Coach House doesn't charge users to view these works, the site does ask readers to "tip" its authors. Coach House poetry editor Darren Wershler-Henry likens online sampling to "those big, overstuffed chairs in Chapters and Indigo," in which customers are encouraged to peruse books. To read the
full text of the article: 5. ONLINE REFERENCE CONTINUES TO GROW On August 29, 2002, the New York Times published a story on the chat reference services offered by several of the larger American public libraries. Librarians can respond to patron questions through live chat, or by "pushing" webpages directly onto part of the users' browser screens as the chat continues. Depending on which software they are using, librarians can even take control of a user's keyboard and mouse to demonstrate how to navigate the Internet. The article cites statistics from the Cleveland Public Library's live Internet reference service, KnowItNow24x7, showing that it answers more than 15,000 questions annually. The service logs 20 percent of its inquiries between 8:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. Across the U.S., consortiums of public libraries are beginning to offer free round-the-clock live-chat reference services. Two of the largest services are Q and A NJ, run by the New Jersey Library Network, and 24/7 Reference, based in Southern California. The article quotes Kevin Starr, California's state librarian, as saying "You're seeing an adjustment in anthropology coming out of the digital revolution. This has been predicted in the past by Marshall McLuhan: if we create a continuous information environment and a continuous Internet environment, then we shouldn't be surprised that we're creating a continuous work environment." 24/7 Reference relies on librarians from member libraries and moonlighting librarians in places ranging from Hawaii to North Carolina. A private firm contracts to provide overnight coverage to libraries in New Jersey, Ohio and elsewhere. J.D. Kathuria is the director of operations for the company which developed LiveAssistance, a chat software system used by several American libraries. Kathuria estimates that about 100 libraries across the U.S. offer online chat services at the moment. His company has about 25 library clients, including several university libraries. To read the
full text of the article (requires registration): To view
some of the online reference services: 6. AMERICANS USING PUBLIC LIBRARIES MORE THAN EVER Two studies commissioned by the American Library Association (ALA) and released in March 2002 show that Americans are using their libraries more than ever. As well, 91 percent of American adults believe public libraries will play an important role in the future, despite all of the information available on the Internet. Librarians have long believed that when the economy goes down, public library use goes up, but could not substantiate this belief with hard data. The ALA asked the University of Illinois Library Research Center (LRC) to study the use, over the last five years, of the 25 U.S. public libraries serving populations of 1 million or more. The study found that circulation has increased significantly since March 2001 (the beginning of the latest recession, according to the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research). Using statistical analysis, the LRC found that circulation in March 2001 was 8.3 percent higher than would be expected from the trend observed since January 1997. Following the events of September 11, circulation in October 2001 exceeded the trend by 11.3 percent. "This data confirms what librarians have seen from experience - that in times of economic difficulties people turn to their libraries and librarians," said ALA President John W. Berry. In a separate survey, the ALA found that adults are overwhelmingly satisfied with their public libraries (84 percent, compared to 7 percent who were not satisfied). While current public library spending per capita is $25, more than half of those polled believed that $26 to $100 per capita should be spent to support libraries. Recently, the Waukesha County Federated Library System in Wisconsin replicated the national study, using local statistics, and came to the same conclusion - library use is counter cyclical. The variations noted in the national study continued through July 2002. For more
information: For the full
text of the ALA study (in PDF format): For the Waukesha
study (in PDF format): The new Millennium Library in Cerritos, California is an intelligent building that provides its patrons with Internet access, wireless network technology, voice over IP and other technologies integrated over a common infrastructure. Along with Internet ports for patrons' laptops, the second floor of the library has 200 public terminals available for Internet access and other applications. The third floor has a high-tech conference centre, which patrons can rent. There is a large projection TV for videoconferencing with other locations, and each seat has a workstation with a flat-panel screen. The network for the library, which opened last March, was designed by Hewlett-Packard consultants in collaboration with the city's IT staffers and building contractors. The building itself is architecturally unique, with no straight lines. The curves are meant to enhance the idea that information flow is like a wave. Cisco's BBSM (Broadband Service Manager) software tracks patrons' Internet access and library services use and provides an authentication mechanism activated by smart library cards. The smart cards allow patrons to check out books themselves, enable data and video downloads, and support inventory control. For more
information: 8. NEW ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEVELOPED A new technology could enable computer users to input text twice as quickly as is now possible. Invented by a research lab in Cambridge, England, the "Dasher" application uses an eye-tracking device to select letters or symbols to appear on display screens in particular sequences based on patterns in languages. The technology is expected to be especially useful for people with disabilities, and in inputting languages which use non-Western character sets. For more
information: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is currently testing software that allows visually impaired people to take advantage of government online services. The new software will interpret PDF documents or forms and speak their content back to the user; previously developed software had limited abilities when it came to reading documents in PDF format. The IRS hopes to have fifty of its most commonly-used forms in "talking" format in time for next year's tax season. Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act, which went into effect in June 2001, requires all U.S. federal government agencies to make their systems, websites and documents accessible to those with disabilities. A recent survey by San Francisco State University and PricewaterhouseCoopers found that 87 percent of federal websites still failed to meet those accessibility standards. For more
information: 9. DATA EXTINCTION AND HOW TO PREVENT IT Libraries, among many other institutions, are grappling with the troubling issue of how to preserve digital things - data, software and the electronics needed to read them - as they age. An article entitled "Data Extinction" by Claire Tristram appears in the latest issue of the MIT Technology Review. Tristram describes the problem succinctly: "Paper documents last for hundreds of years, but more and more of what matters to us is digitally produced, and we can't guarantee that any of it will be usable 100, or 10, or even five years from now." The article provides a good overview of the issues, and examines a variety of technologies that may provide a solution. What role will librarians play in developing solutions? For the full
text of the article: The present approach to digital preservation is to update documents constantly, converting them from their original versions into newer ones while it is still possible to run the old software. This labor-intensive process gradually leads to corrupted documents. The alternative is simply to keep old files and hope that some software in the future will be able to decipher them. The ideal solution would be a common preservation system that can read and present today's formats and the thousands that will follow in a simple, standard way, easily emulated on future computers. Dr. Raymond Lorie, a researcher at the I.B.M. Almaden Research Center, has proposed a "universal virtual computer," with architecture and language designed to be so logical and accessible that computer developers of the future will be able to write instructions to emulate it on any machine. Dr. Lorie has defined and described the concept of his UVC in a series of technical papers in the last few years, and demonstrated the system for the National Library of the Netherlands. For more
information: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/29/technology/ On August 12, a statement on the archiving and preserving of digital information was issued by the Joint Steering Group of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the International Publishers Association (IPA). The statement commits both organizations to work together on joint initiatives to study the technical, economic and policy issues surrounding digital preservation. In many countries, there are long-established arrangements to preserve print materials for future generations. But this is not the case with digital information, and many electronic publications will not be preserved unless specific steps are taken to ensure their survival. For the full
text of the statement: 10. HEALTH WEBSITES STILL GAINING POPULARITY According to the research company Datamonitor, which surveyed 4,531 adults across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US, 57 percent of those who looked for health information in the past 12 months consulted Internet sources. Younger people are more likely to go online for health information; the study found that 32 to 34 percent of adults ages 18-54 used the Internet to search for health information, while only 14 percent of adults 65 and over did so. Young Internet users often conduct online health research on behalf of older family members who do not use the Internet. General health sites and sites run by governments or institutions were more popular with users and perceived to be more objective than pharmaceutical company websites. For more
information: 11. EVALUATION MODEL FOR E-LIBRARIES The eVALUEd Project at the Centre for Information Research (CIRT) of the University of Central England has been set up to develop a model for e-library evaluation and to provide training in e-library evaluation. The project is currently in its Research phase, during which it will collect data on best practices evaluating electronic libraries in both the United Kingdom and abroad. The next phase, testing of the techniques and practices identified, will result in the production of an evaluation model for electronic library developments. For more
information: 12. HTML WORKSHOP FOR BEGINNERS Nov. 1, 2002 The Professional Learning Centre of the Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto is presenting a one-day hands-on workshop on the skills you need to create a basic website. Students will learn how to prepare and publish their own materials on the Internet. Topics to be covered include: the basics of HTML coding, using different HTML editors, and resources to help you keep up with HTML and web developments. At the end of the workshop, students will take home a disk with the web pages created in class. The fee is CDN$240. For more
information or to register: 13. INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL IN WALES The International Graduate Summer School (iGSS) which runs from June 25 to July 11, 2003 at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth, is an opportunity for information professionals from around the world to meet and discuss current issues while taking part in a work program which aids their continuing professional development. iGSS is a cooperative venture between four major library and information studies schools: Aberystwyth, the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at McGill University in Montreal, the School of Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, and the School of Librarianship, University of Cape Town. A flexible schedule allows delegates to attend from 3 days (1 course) to 17 days (3 courses and 2 study tours). "Accessing the Virtual: How to offer electronic information resources to users" is the theme, and courses include "Collection Management and the Electronic Library," "The Electronic Library: Information Literacy and Management," and "Placing your Library on the Web." For more
information: EBL 2003:
2nd International Evidence Based Librarianship Conference The International Programme Committee of EBL 2003 invites you to submit contributed papers or posters for the conference. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to: international perspectives on evidence based librarianship; the relationship between evidence based librarianship and evidence based practice; relevant and answerable questions facing librarian practitioners and researchers; the quality and quantity of practice-based research in librarianship; techniques for synthesizing and summarizing the evidence; disseminating and utilizing research into practice; project evaluation, program evaluation, or the measurement of educational outcomes in library practice. The submission deadline for both papers and posters is Friday, December 13, 2002. More information
and the abstract submission form can be found at: Research
Innovation and Scholarship: A Conference on the Role of Open Access Publishing The Canadian Association of Research Libraries' conference on the new models of online scholarly publishing that are revolutionizing scholarly communication is an opportunity to learn more and to discuss and debate the issues with distinguished speakers. Participants will leave with an appreciation of the nature and scope of e-prints, institutional repositories, and the practical and organizational issues to address. For more
information or to register: Facing the
Challenges of an Aging Workforce: Succession Planning Strategies for Libraries
and Information Management Organizations Libraries could soon face a shortage of skilled professionals and workers and an increasingly competitive labour market. This conference will help participants to prepare and plan for an aging workforce, a large number of retirees, a new generation of professionals, and continued and ongoing change. For more
information or to register: Online Information This conference is an international meeting place for information professionals, librarians, knowledge managers and publishers. Delegates will improve and strengthen their information management skills, develop diverse technological know-how, and build sound strategic understanding. Explore major information management issues by choosing from specially developed main conference sessions, pre-conference workshops and keynote presentations. For more
information or to register: Jobs Etc. The federal government's employment gateway offers links to government resources and information in the categories of Jobs, Workers, Training/Learning, and Career Exploration. Users can search for jobs across multiple databases (HRDC Job Bank, public service, and Jobboom.com, with more to come). Information is also organized based on common scenarios, i.e. Recently out of work, Quit or fired, Want to go back to school, Want to change careers. Upcoming features will include a Job Alert to notify registered clients of vacancies matching their job search profiles, and a "Resume Builder" feature that will allow users to create and store a resume online. Cybertip.ca Child Find Manitoba operates this hotline and website intended to help prevent the online sexual exploitation of children. The public can report potentially illegal content and activities on the Internet through an online reporting form and a toll-free phone line. Cybertip.ca will receive and analyze the tips and refer leads to the appropriate law enforcement agencies as required. Through Cybertip.ca, Child Find Manitoba will also provide victim support and referral services, as well as educate Canadians on safe Internet use. Cybertip.ca is supported through a broadly based partnership that includes the Government of Canada, the Manitoba Ministry of Justice, the RCMP, the Winnipeg Police Service, and many more public- and private-sector partners. Pictou: Nova Scotia's Northern Ocean Port A digital version of a work published in 1916 to show the progress and growth of the town of Pictou since its foundation. The searchable website includes scanned images of nearly one hundred photographs of local residences, businesses, and the Pictou harbour. This digitization project was sponsored by LibraryNet and the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library. http://www.parl.ns.ca/projects/pictou/default.html Virtual Reference Library Electronic Newsletter The latest issue of this biannual newsletter, put out by the Toronto Public Library's Virtual Reference Library (VRL), includes special features on their Consumer Health Information Service, Career Bookmarks and NewsConnect; VRL news on several topics; and information on some future enhancements. http://vrl.tpl.toronto.on.ca/newsletter/ LibrarySpot.com A virtual library resource centre for librarians and their patrons, and educators and students. Includes FAQs, lists, articles on such topics as online help in writing papers, and links to hundreds of library and other reference sites selected by an editorial team. The Informed Librarian This current awareness service is now available in email format. A monthly compilation of the most recent tables of contents (fully hyperlinked) of over 180 North American and international library and information-related journals, e-journals, magazines, newsletters and e-newsletters makes it easy to stay on top of your professional reading. http://www.infosourcespub.com/book4.cfm E-Book Locator Search a database of thousands of e-books by author, title, keyword, ISBN, or publisher. Get the latest reviews, excerpts and author bios, and browse best-selling electronic books. Page by Page Electronic versions of public domain books, available in one-screen chunks so readers can easily bookmark where they left off in the text. Listed by author and title, with recent additions noted on the main page. http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/ AbilityHub This site directs users to computer assistive technology and other adaptive equipment. Information about a wide range of technologies addressing sight, sound, and physical interaction with computers and related equipment, such as alternative input devices. Techsoup.org "The technology place for non-profits," where users can find tools and resources, talk to the non-profit community, buy discounted products, and read technology articles and news on a wide variety of topics, from choosing a database to technology funding. If
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