“Drill Halls, Mechanics Institutes &

Public Libraries: the struggle for relevance”

Brendan Fitzgerald & Frances SavageOnline projects

VICNET, State Library of Victoria

“but mainly she told the truth”

Mark Twain 1835-1910

Public Libraries: the 3 C’s

• current projects & issues,

• the challenge of relevance and,

• changing roles

Global ICT Context:

• Peoples network

• New library

Australian ICT Context:

• Regional Telecommunications Policy

• NOIE

• Connecting Victoria

• Libraries 21

VICNET Online Projects Background:

Libraries Online: 1998 - 2001.$2.4M provided by MMV for content and infrastructure projects for libraries.

Rural Libraries Online: 1999 - 2002.$3.47M provided by Networking the Nation for library network infrastructure in rural Victoria.

Other Projects:

•$114k - rural public libraries printers

•$145k- 2 way satellite Mobile Libraries(UMRLS)

•$20k - e- gaps funding ( Glenelg RLS)

•$800k - Internet and IT local priorities ( DoI)

•$1.6 M - SNIP (Arts Victoria)

•$230k - Urban Libraries (MMV)

Infrastructure Projects:

• Last Guys- 33 final branches

• Workstations- 400 public access PC’s

• Geelong/Corangamite Satellite pilot

• Metro Bandwidth- 18 libraries 2Mbps

• RLOL 19 satellite sites/WAN

• Printers For Public access

Content Projects:

• Gulliver- consortium

• Victoria’s Virtual Library-gateway

(www.libraries.vic.gov.au)

• Open Road

(www.openroad.vic.gov.au)

Skills Projects:

• Adaptive technology- Jaws, EIA, Trackballs, Magic

• Open Road - User administration

- Multilingual Surfing

• Web Developers Forum

“but mainly he told the truth”

Samuel Clemens 1835-1910

“ The first thing to have in a library is a shelf. Frm time to time this can be decorated with lithrachure. But th’ shelf is the main thing.”

F P Dunne 1867- 1936 “Mr Dooley Says” 1910

•Partnerships

•Infrastructure

•Social Capital

•Continuity and change

Relevance: the issues

Partnerships:

•Consortia

•Collaborative Relationships

•Government

•Funding

Infrastructure:

•Bandwidth

•Interoperability

•Telecommunications and traffic

•Buildings

Social Capital:

•Professional Development/Workforce

•Information Society

•Investment

•Community & Social engagement

Continuity and change:

•Sustainability

•Accessibility

•Expectations

Critical Success factors

• Social inclusion

• Education , literacy and LL learning

• e-government

• community regeneration

• Local cultural strategies“Building Better Library Services” Audit Commission 2002

Foundations to build on • Value of information & service

• Meeting needs

• Geographic network

“ I think that in too many libraries the librarians have made it quite clear that

they know everything and we know b*****r all!”

Library Non user views - AC report 2002

“ …. the Internet

comes on computers

now!!!”

Homer The Greek 1997

Contact details:

brendanf@vicnet.net.au

francess@vicnet.net.au