Enabling the information commons

Fiona BradleySBS Radio Resource

Centre

Training

The information commons

Future

Holistic information commons

CollaborationIntegrated IT & Reference

Physical Current

Lobbying & advocacy

Collabor-ation

Virtual

Open Access

Community building

Value hierarchies

University of Otago, New Zealand

Hardin Library, University of Iowa

Why the information commons?

• Information access issues will be a major priority for library associations over the next few years

• ALIA, ALA, IFLA and other library organisations have made commitments to developing advocacy programs and exploring access issues in partnership with other organisations

Why the information commons?

• To address changes in the way people access and use information

• A response to the need for community building in the library

• To bring focus to the issues of access, legislation, licensing, cost

• Information commons are an innovation in service delivery

• To establish client-focused services that are adaptable to the future

The information commons – Issues

Cost & fundingMaintenance

Physical

Access Licensing Legislation

Training

Cost

Virtual

Access to scholarly information

Enabling the information commons

• For libraries and librarians:– Catalogue and promote information published

with alternative licenses, eg Open Access– Gain license negotiation skills– Develop websites that match the function and

goals of the information commons– Is an information commons appropriate for your

library? Involve the patrons and community in planning and decisions

Enabling the information commons

• For the library and information sector:– Larger role in advocacy and lobbying for

libraries and information access– Partner with information access

initiatives– Re-examine value hierarchies– Investigate the role of public libraries as

scholarly information providers– Support libraries that take on new roles

Presentation downloads

This presentation, including the paper, references, and PowerPoint file, is available for download from:

http://www.blisspix.net/publications/alia2004/

Thank you!