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September 2000 LibraryNet Monthly TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. LIBRARYNET'S ONLINE CONNECTIVITY SURVEYIn order to find out how public libraries are dealing with connectivity to the Information Highway, LibraryNet and its provincial/territorial partners have launched their first online connectivity survey. As of September 29, 221 responses have been received on behalf of 835 public libraries, equivalent to a 24.5% national response rate. Libraries in the Yukon, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories have achieved a 100% response rate. The results submitted to date indicate that the biggest challenge faced by libraries is the replacement and upgrading of equipment, followed by training and maintaining staff skills, and the ongoing cost of Internet connections. Over 60% of public libraries expressed dissatisfaction with the speed of their Internet connection. Inappropriate Internet use is perceived to be a serious problem in fewer than 10% of libraries, over 90% of public libraries have adopted Acceptable Use policies, and fewer than 20% of libraries are filtering Internet content. To participate
in the survey: 2. GATES FUNDING FOR NORTHERN CANADAPublic libraries in Northern Canada will receive grants of over half a million dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Northwest Territories libraries will receive $323,000 in Internet funding, while libraries in the Yukon will receive $298,500. The government of Nunavut is currently in discussion with the Foundation and preparing its application for funds. The NWT grant will fund computers and Internet access in the nine existing NWT public libraries, as well as "virtual libraries" in six additional communities not currently served by the territorial library system. The virtual libraries will be housed in schools, with training for the public to be supplied by computer studies teachers and students. A mobile training lab, training for library staff, upgraded hardware to improve Internet access, and one help desk station are also included in the gift. (The first training session for library staff was held in Yellowknife September 14 to 16.) The Yukon grant will put 44 new computers into 15 Yukon public and community libraries, as well as providing Internet training for the public through one mobile and one fixed training lab. Installation of the new computers will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by Christmas. Both grants are part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Library Program, whose mission is to provide increased access to technology for libraries serving low-income communities throughout the United States and Canada. For more
information: 3. INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES SEEKING APPLICATIONSThe International Network of Public Libraries is seeking five library managers with outstanding experience and success in innovative library work for its fourth project phase (January 2001 to July 2002). The Network currently consists of 18 library practitioners from 11 countries. It pools international know-how, supports the development of successful management concepts and promotes their practical implementation. The members of the Network jointly prepare research reports on priority issues, working either in small groups or individually. In the process they consider international experience in the field and analyze particularly successful case studies. The objective is to develop future-oriented concepts that can be applied in all the countries of the Network. The Bertelsmann Foundation of Germany provides financial and organizational support for the Network and offers a budget for the research and publication of the reports. The following four subjects can be selected from in the fourth project phase: Staff and organization, learning from other institutions, library services, and new technologies. If you are you interested in one of the above topics, and are a successful practitioner of public library management with at least five years professional experience in an executive position, the Network would be interested in receiving your application. Respondents must also be fluent in English and willing to collaborate by e-mail. The application deadline is October 15, 2000. To apply: For more
information: 4. "UK ONLINE" CAMPAIGN LAUNCHEDOn September 11, the government of the United Kingdom launched its new "UK online" campaign, a series of initiatives and major investments intended to get people, business and government itself online. A key "UK online" objective is the establishment of online centres in poor communities where anyone can get training in how to use the Internet. The government is aiming to create over 6000 UK online centres, including ones in all UK public libraries. Later this year, an on-line continuing education initiative called learndirect will open for business. People will be able to access it from their computer at work or at home, or in one of the 1,000 learndirect centres planned to open by next April. Other initiatives include investing over £10million in UK online for business, which will help companies exploit new technologies by providing help and expert advice face to face, online or by telephone. In addition, £1 billion has been earmarked for government electronic service delivery. All government services should be offered online by 2005. The Prime Minister also launched the Government's UK online annual report, which will detail progress against these recommendations and set out the government's priorities for the year ahead. For more
information: 5. CLA MAKES SUBMISSION TO FEDERAL BUDGET COMMITTEEThe CLA recently submitted its report "An Investment in Libraries: An Investment in the Nation's Information Infrastructure" to the House of Commons Finance Committee's pre-budget consultation hearings. As the report notes, "To ensure that Canada becomes a connected and "smart" country, it is clear that the federal government must dedicate funds to develop and support libraries in all sectors across Canada, in the same way that museums and archives are supported." Among the CLA recommendations are:
Service Canada is a new initiative consisting of an alliance of federal service departments and agencies focused on improving services to Canadians by developing and delivering horizontally integrated federal services. Several libraries have been involved in Service Canada pilot projects, the Southeast Regional Library in Glenavon, Saskatchewan and Oxford County Library in southwestern Ontario, demonstrating that libraries are a very effective and efficient way to provide both in-person and electronic access to government services. To read the
full text of the submission: 6. "STATE OF THE NET" REPORTOn September 1, the United States Internet Council released its second annual "State of the Internet" report. The report analyzes recent trends in the industry, including the growth of the Internet outside North America, efforts to close the digital divide, the growth of wireless Internet usage, and radio and television over the Internet. One of the report's main conclusions is that Internet use outside the United States may be rising much faster than predicted just last year. "The growth in the number of non-English speaking web sites, combined with rapidly rising number of Internet users in Asia and Europe, is transforming the Internet from an American-dominated medium to a true international communications backbone," said Bill Myers, CEO of the Council. One contributing factor could be efforts in Europe to promote cell phones as both a voice and Internet communications device. Formed in 1996, the Council is a nonprofit organization funded by industry that functions as an educational resource for U.S. state and federal policy makers. To read the
full text of the report: 7. CANADIAN E-BUSINESS STATISTICSLast month, Statistics Canada released preliminary data from its Information and Communications Technologies and Electronic Commerce Survey, which provides the first set of comprehensive data on the extent of computer use, of Internet use and the availability of Web sites in the private and public sectors. The survey results also provide comparable information on the magnitude of e-commerce across industry sectors. The survey was conducted from October 1999 to March 2000 and collected information for 1999 on the entire economy (with a few exceptions). Notable findings include:
A working paper tabulating results from key questions in the survey will be released soon. For more
information: 8. CANADA'S SCHOOLSAn Angus Reid survey reported in the Globe and Mail on September 11 shows that Canada is one of the foremost countries worldwide in offering Internet access to students. The survey concluded that Sweden has the highest level of Internet-savvy students in the world, with 78 per cent of students able to go on-line at school and 80 per cent able to do so at home. However, Canada comes a close second. Seventy-four per cent of our students had Internet access at school, while 71 per cent had access at home. U.S. students were more likely to report Internet use available at home than at school. More than nine out of 10 students with Internet access in Canada, the U.S., Australia and Sweden report using the Web for research. Last year, SchoolNet made Canada the first country in the world to have connected all of its public schools, including First Nations schools, to the Internet. SchoolNet's goal for 2001 is to have 250,000 connected computers in Canadian schools - the equivalent of one connected computer per classroom. For this report, Angus Reid surveyed 10,000 students, aged 12 to 24, from 16 countries. For more
information: 9. DISTANCE EDUCATION E-LIBRARY WINS AWARDThe Stockholm Challenge is an international information technology contest which focuses on the benefits and positive changes that information technology can bring to communities, rather than on the sophistication of the technology itself. This year, the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) won a Stockholm Challenge award in the category of Education for its e-Library project. To widen access to library services for its distance learners, the University piloted an e-Library in 1997. The bilingual (English and Chinese) e-Library provides library services electronically to all OUHK students, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Students now have access to 1,000 electronic databases and resources stored in local and overseas servers, which are equivalent to 500,000 volumes of printed materials. They can also browse the library catalogues of other higher education institutions in Hong Kong and overseas, as well as previous OUHK examination papers and additional readings. These services are available to all students, tutors and staff on campus and anywhere else through a dial-up modem. The project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2000. Funding for the development costs comes from private sponsorship and government grants, and the funding for continued operation is built into the University's normal expenditure budget. The OUHK offers study opportunities in sub-degree, degree and postgraduate programs to working adults through distance learning. It began with 4,200 students in 1989 and now has more than 25,000 students. For more
information: 10. ONTARIO ANNOUNCES DIGITAL FUNDINGThe Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation has announced a new Digital Alliance program for digitizing collections of "provincial significance or of a provincial scope, bringing together in a single location materials that would not otherwise be available." The intention is to create centres of digital expertise, and/or to establish new and innovative digital services that can serve as models for Ontario public libraries. Funding will provide 75% of eligible costs (including salary and benefit costs, software, etc.) to a maximum of $50,000. It must be a one-time request and be sustainable for at least 2 to 5 years thereafter. Public libraries are encouraged to participate in Digital Alliance projects to digitize municipal, tourism, community service, education, cultural and other information. The information digitized should have a "province-wide impact"; partners are encouraged to bring together information from geographically remote sources in their projects. There are two deadlines for applications: September 30 and November 30, 2000. For more
information: 11. LIBRARY EFFORTS RECOGNIZED IN CHATELAINEThe Canadian woman's magazine Chatelaine recently published its "Essential Web Guide", a list of over three hundred websites selected as the best on topics ranging from shopping to reference. The Guide recognizes the work public libraries have done in several of its selections. The West Health Information Partnership, a joint project of theYarmouth Regional Health Sciences Library, the Western Counties Regional Library and several other Nova Scotia public libraries, was mentioned under the Health category as one of the best sites for accurate, responsible medical information. Susan Platt, of the Calgary Public Library, was interviewed for the Guide and suggested several of the CPL staff's favourite reference sites. For more
information: 12. CANADIAN PATRIOTISM ONLINEA new Angus Reid study shows that Canadians are highly loyal to Canadian websites for both information and e-commerce. 86 per cent of online Canadians are more likely to visit Canadian sites than American ones for world, financial, and sports news. The only area where there wasn't a clear preference for Canadian versus American coverage was in entertainment news. In terms of online shopping, cost was one key reason for seeking Canadian e-commerce sites, but 86 per cent of respondents said they bought Canadian because they wanted to keep money in the country. The fact that Canadian sites keep money in Canada is a competitive advantage that should be strongly communicated on every Canadian e-commerce site, said Chris Ferneyhough, a senior research manager at Angus Reid. "It doesn't matter what the demographic: male or female, young or old, east or west. Canadians want to support the Canadian Internet economy by keeping dollars in Canada." The survey was conducted among 1,084 Web users from Angus Reid Group's Canadian Internet Panel. That group was surveyed online, and a further 1,500 Canadian adults were given telephone interviews in order to verify the results of the panel, and to track issues among non-Internet users. For more
information: 13. UCLA INTERNET REPORTThe UCLA Center for Communication Policy recently released excerpts from its forthcoming report on the global impact of the Internet. The findings released analyze key questions such as the relative importance of mass-media information sources, privacy and the Internet, the credibility of online information, and the effect of the Internet on political influence and knowledge. After only five years as a widespread communications tool, the Internet is viewed as an important source of information by the vast majority of people who use the online technology. More than two-thirds of respondents (67.3 percent) who use the Internet consider the technology to be an "important" or "extremely important" source of information, while 53.1 percent of those surveyed rank television and 46.8 percent rank radio at the same level. Opinions about the reliability and accuracy of information on the Internet varied widely. While more than half of Internet users (54.7 percent) say "most" or "all" information on the Internet is reliable and accurate, only 33.3 percent of non-users share that opinion. Significant numbers of users (35.7 percent) as well as non-users (45.7 percent) said that only "about half" of information on the Internet was reliable. The survey found strong agreement among both Internet users and non-users that using the Internet creates risks to individual privacy. When asked if "people who go online put their privacy at risk," almost two-thirds (63.6 percent) of Internet users and more than three-quarters (76.1 percent) of non-users either agree or strongly agree with that statement. The UCLA Center for Communication Policy, created in 1993, develops policy and programs that address critical issues in media and communication. "The UCLA Internet Report: Surveying the Digital Future" will provide the first comprehensive, year-to-year view of the global impact of the Internet. The findings will explore how the Internet influences social, political, cultural and economic behavior among both computer users and non-users. The full report will be released in October 2000. For more
information: 14. GLOBAL E-READINESS ASSESSMENTLast month, an assessment of developing countries and their readiness for e-business and e- government was published by McConnell International and the World Technology and Services Alliance. The report found that a number of countries are being left behind by the global electronic economy, while others are showing positive signs of readiness for the digital age. The report, 'Risk E-Business: Seizing the Opportunity for Global E-Readiness,' examined 42 countries for their capacity to participate in the global digital economy. Those countries were then ranked by the categories of connectivity, leadership/encouragement, information security, human capital, and e- business climate. Countries that ranked poorly in all categories included Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Ukraine, and Vietnam. These were followed closely by Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. These last three, however, are aiming to rapidly improve Internet infrastructure. The full
report is available online at: 15. INTERNET CREATES MILLIONS OF JOBSA new study by Andersen Consulting predicts that the Internet will have been responsible for adding 10 million digital and traditional jobs in the U.S. and Europe by 2002. The report found that 5.8 million U.S. jobs will be directly attributable to the Internet by 2002, as well as 3 million in Europe. When Internet-related jobs in other industries are factored into the forecast, the total number comes to 10 million. "The good news is that the Internet is creating more jobs than it is destroying, even when you look at traditional business models," says Steve Freeman, an Andersen partner. The bad news is that hiring on both sides of the Atlantic is stymied by a lack of suitably skilled workers, which poses the single greatest obstacle to future growth. For more
information: 16. HOME-BASED INTERNET USAGE INCREASINGMost interested users in Canada already have Internet access, according to ComQUEST Research's Summer 2000 CyberTrends report. Expansion of the Canadian market is limited by indifference toward the Internet among those currently not using it regularly, rather than by cost or difficulty. The report found that 60 percent of Canadians have Internet access, and half (50%) use it on a monthly basis. More than one-third use the Internet on a weekly basis. Internet users in Canada remain young with high socioeconomic status. They are also increasing the amount of time they spend online each week at home. Eighteen percent of Canadians have made online purchases of products or services, while 11 percent of Canadians use online banking, according to the CyberTrends report. For more
information: 17. INTERNET DEMOGRAPHIC AGINGAdults 55 and older represent the fastest-growing group of U.S. Internet users, according to a recent study by International Data Corp. (IDC), which claims that the number of seniors will more than triple from 11.1 million in 1999 to 34.1 million in 2004. They will account for 20 percent of all new users. By 2004, 103 million new users will have joined the U.S. online population, which will then resemble much more closely the overall populace. "People from all walks of life and socioeconomic status will be online users, and online households will be much more like the average household than they are today," said Barry Parr, director of Consumer E-Commerce Research at IDC. Despite the increase in older Americans using the Internet, the U.S. population in the 18 to 34 age bracket remains the most active online users. By 2004, almost 91 percent of this group will be online. According to research by Media Metrix, the number of baby boomers and seniors online grew by 18.4 percent in 1999, making them the fastest growing Internet population. The spending habits of older Americans make them one of the most desired markets on the Internet today. For more
information: 18. LOWER-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS MOVING ONLINEAccording to a study by Media Metrix, the number of Internet users with annual household incomes of less than $25,000 has grown nearly 50 percent in the last year. However, they still remain the smallest group of Internet users at only 9.7 percent of the overall online population. This increase is attributed to the Internet becoming more accessible at work, at school and through local community centres such as libraries, as well as the declining cost of personal computers. As well, the study found differences in time spent online and websites visited. Lower-income web users tend to spend more time online (about 13 hours per month) viewing more unique pages of content. Higher-income users, on the other hand, tend to spend less time -- just over 9 hours - and view fewer pages. These users are most likely been able to streamline their sessions because of greater experience using the net. Household income also had a direct correlation to website preferences. Higher-income audiences tended to browse sports, auto, leisure and travel sites, while low-income groups spent most of their time on auction and career sites. For more
information: 19. U.S. E-RATE AND DIGITAL DIVIDE REPORT"E-Rate and the Digital Divide: A Preliminary Analysis From the Integrated Studies of Educational Technology" looks at how access to telecommunications and the Internet in schools and communities is changing education in the United States. The report is based on an analysis of E-Rate administrative records covering the first two years of the program operation, linked to detailed national data on all public and private schools and libraries in the U.S. More in-depth reports will be released late in 2001 after the completion of large national surveys of states, districts, schools, and teachers. The Universal Service Fund for Schools and Libraries, or "E-Rate," was created in 1996 to provide discounts on the cost of telecommunications services and equipment to all public and private schools and libraries in the U.S. Eligible services range from basic phone and Internet access services, to the acquisition and installation of network equipment. The report concludes that overall, the E-Rate has fulfilled its intent by encouraging higher rates of application from the poorest communities and getting funds to the places with the greatest need. The full report is available in PDF, or the text only (without graphics and appendices) is available in Word. To read the
report: 20. NEW PUBLICATION ON INTERNET DANGERSAlthough they are a minority within the overall amount of Internet content, hate material, child pornography, and guides to illegal activity are too disturbing to ignore. Mechanisms have to be developed to deal with illegal content, to protect both free speech and children online. The Bertelsmann Foundation recently published "Protecting Our Children on the Internet: Towards a New Culture of Responsibility" (ISBN 3-89204-474-0), edited by Jens Waltermann and Marcel Machill. This volume contains reports and key recommendations from leading international experts, and it analyzes the contribution self-regulation can make to the current anxiety with regard to harmful Internet content. For more
information or to order: 21. USEFUL INTERNET RESOURCESPapers given at an international conference on "Managing the Digital Future of Libraries" held in Moscow this past April are now available on the website of the EU-Russian State Library Information Project. Over 50 papers (each available in both Russian and English) from speakers from 21 countries present a rich source of information on trends in digital library development. The website also contains the bilingual "Moscow Manifesto" with recommendations for digital library, museum and archive development in Russia. The 1983 edition of Historical Statistics of Canada - containing about 1,088 statistical tables on the social, economic and institutional conditions of Canada from the start of the Confederation in 1867 to the mid-1970s - is now available online. The original book was scanned and re-captured in electronic form as text and tables. All data have been verified to reflect what was originally published, and no changes have been made other than correcting obvious mistakes in the original paper volume. None of the statistics have been corrected, revised or updated. The publication is accessible on the Statistics Canada website as a free downloadable document. Two formats are offered: text as HTML pages and all tables as comma separated value files (csv), or PDF files containing both text and tables. http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/11-516-XIE/ The last ten years have seen a tremendous surge in the production of literacy resources across Canada. As these materials find their way into programs and resource centres, it becomes necessary to organize them in a useful way. An electronic version of the Canadian Literacy Thesaurus/Thésaurus canadien d'alphabétisation is now available on-line. Created using the thesaurus software MultiTes, it is a project of the Canadian Literacy Thesaurus Coalition. The Thesaurus can be used to index documents, whether they are print, audiovisual, or electronic. It will also be helpful to people who wish to familiarize themselves with terminology or emerging concepts in the Canadian literacy field. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created an Archives Portal linking to hundreds of websites of archival institutions around the world. It is also a gateway to resources related to records and archives management and to international co-operation in this area. Visitors to the UNESCO Archives Portal can browse through pre-established categories or search for specific words. They can add a new link, modify an already existing link, and rank the websites of archives and related institutions through an on-line rating system. Webmasters of sites listed are invited to post the Portal logo on their website to help promote this new resource. http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_archives/ The Digital Library Federation (DLF) and Research Libraries Group (RLG) have issued "Guides to Quality in Visual Resource Imaging," a new Web-based reference designed to serve the growing community of research libraries and other institutions that are turning to digital conversion to provide greater access to their visual resources as well as to help preserve the original materials. The five guides share the experience and knowledge of leaders in this field, and provide concrete guidelines as well as comprehensive advice on how to find what an imaging team needs to accomplish stated goals with the available technology. The Guides will be updated periodically. 22. CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT27th Annual
General Meeting of ASTED (Association pour l'avancement des sciences et
des techniques de la documentation) This year's theme "Interconnection: Competencies, Technologies, Knowledge" explores the strategic importance of fostering partnerships and sharing knowledge amongst information professionals in this era of globalisation. Topics to be covered include Knowledge Management, e-books, legal deposit and electronic publications, consortiums, virtual reference services, XML, and metadata. For more
information or to register: If
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