News from OCLC
News from OCLC
(a) Public libraries meet at WebJunction
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) has launched a new Web-based service designed to help public libraries and other institutions that offer public access computing to share knowledge and experience in providing technology to patrons. The resource, called WebJunction (webjunction.org),was unveiled in May 2003 at the Great Hall of the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
WebJunction is being developed through a three-year, $9 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation’s US Library Program works in partnership with public libraries to provide public access to computers, the Internet and digital information for patrons from low-income communities in the US. WebJunction gives public librarians a broad range of resources, including a forum for sharing information on policies and practices(e.g. Internet access for minors), technical resources, advice for purchasing hardware and software, and community message/discussion boards that cover both day-to-day support issues as well as broader management topics.
OCLC is working with four partners that collectively bring the research,evaluation, governance, e-learning and technology skills instrumental to the successful design, development and operation of WebJunction:
Colorado State Library (www.cde.state.co.us/index_library.htm),part of the Colorado Department of Education, encourages and supports the development of public, school, and college and university libraries to improve library services and also develops and supports the Colorado Virtual Library providing access to library resources and quality Web resources state wide. The state library has conducted a thorough needs assessment and is responsible for ongoing evaluation of WebJunction. It also facilitates communications with other state libraries.
The Benton Foundation (www.benton.org)has a mission to advance a public interest vision for the digital age and to demonstrate the value of communications for solving social problems. Its focus is on accelerating digital opportunity for all people. The Benton Foundation recommended governance and advisory structures and is assisting with online community building strategies for WebJunction.
Isoph (www.isoph.com) offers expertise in instructional and graphic design, application development, and data integration to help mission-driven organisations achieve their fundamental goals. Its proprietary technology, Isoph Blue, enables the creation of Web communities driven by learning. For WebJunction, Isoph provides e-learning course content,the learning management system application of Isoph Blue via Web services, and assistance with site design.
TechSoup (www.techsoup.org) is a project of CompuMentor, a leading technology assistance organisation serving the non-profit community. This well-respected resource provides content evaluation,syndication of TechSoup content, and helps in developing low-cost technology replacement strategies for WebJunction.
Marilyn Mason, WebJunction program director and former director of the public library systems in Cleveland, Ohio, and Atlanta, Georgia, said:
Almost 100 per cent of US public libraries now offer public access to computing. However, many public libraries face a critical shortage of support for computer services they offer that goes well beyond technical,equipment-related concerns. During these difficult economic times, public librarians are trying to make best use of existing resources, and many do not have access to technology training or guidance on computer usage policies. WebJunction will help library staff be more effective in offering and sustaining public access computing – helping them do more with less by connecting them with each other in an environment of difficult budgets.
Richard Akeroyd,director of international library initiatives for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said:
People have come to rely on public access computers in their public libraries, and we must support libraries so this service can continue. The interactive WebJunction Web site will be an invaluable tool for the thousands of libraries working to sustain public access computing stations. By providing free, online technical assistance, the site will help libraries of all sizes maintain and even grow their public access workstations.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is building upon the unprecedented opportunities of the twenty-first century to improve equity in global health and learning. Led by Bill Gates’ father, William H. Gates, Sr, and Patty Stonesifer, the Seattle-based foundation has an endowment of approximately $24 billion.
(b) Shanghai Library Consortium provides access to netLibrary eBooks
A group of libraries in China has formed a consortium to share access to a collection of eBooks from netLibrary, a division of OCLC that offers electronic book collections for academic, corporate, public and school libraries.
Led by the Shanghai Library, the Shanghai Library Consortium comprises 13 libraries in China that will share access to more than 1,000 titles from netLibrary’s collection. The Shanghai consortium joins a growing number of international libraries and groups using netLibrary eBooks, including:
Taiwan eBooks Network (TEBNET), 21 university libraries in Taiwan formed to access eBook titles from netLibrary, with 12 more expected to join during 2003.
Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS), a consortium of more than 70 universities formed to share access to eBooks from netLibrary.
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which launched an eBook service in March 2003 for its public library users, purchasing a wide-ranging collection of netLibrary titles covering subject areas such as: computers, Internet and systems; management and public relations; psychology; social sciences, sociology and anthropology.
With netLibrary eBooks, users can access library resources anywhere,anytime, and perform full-text searches across hundreds of books or within a specific book to speed research and reference projects and to advance distance learning. eBooks can be viewed online from any location using an Internet browser.
For years, Shanghai Library has taken a leadership role in promoting resource sharing among local libraries and information institutions. Wu Jianzhong,director, Shanghai Library, said:
The netLibrary eBook consortium is another initiative to promote networking services among local institutions on the Internet. I am happy to see that libraries in cities such as Xi’an, Shenzhen and Beijing are enthusiastic and willing to join with Shanghai libraries in this effort. I believe this is a good sign of more extensive co-operation between OCLC and libraries in China,and I look forward to working together in the future.
netLibrary, a division of OCLC, develops, hosts, maintains and preserves electronic book collections for academic, corporate, public and school libraries. Thousands of libraries worldwide are currently providing netLibrary eBooks to their users. netLibrary is based in Boulder, Colorado.
(c) Dutch public libraries now using QuestionPoint
More than 50 public libraries in The Netherlands are now using QuestionPoint,the collaborative virtual reference service developed by the Library of Congress and OCLC. QuestionPoint combines a local reference solution with a global reference resource-sharing network to provide a co-operative, comprehensive and cost-effective service.
QuestionPoint helps librarians track and manage questions from patrons through a growing network of reference librarians around the world. Library patrons can submit questions at any time of the day or night through their library’s Web site. QuestionPoint questions are answered online by library staff from the patron’s own library or may be routed to another participating library. Libraries can contribute to and search local and global databases of question-and-answer pairs edited by contributing libraries, which are reviewed and updated regularly.
With QuestionPoint tools, libraries can create a locally branded and customised service to meet the unique needs of patrons. Staff from OCLC PICA and NBLC, the Netherlands Association of Public Libraries, have been customising QuestionPoint to serve Dutch libraries by translating screens, converting existing data to be included in the local knowledge base, and writing Dutch user documentation. The Dutch version of QuestionPoint is known as Al@din. Al@din is integrated with other services on the Dutch Public Libraries Web site (www.bibliotheek.nl) in an effort to get all public libraries working together and to maintain a high level of service throughout the country.
Rein van Charldorp, managing director of OCLC PICA, said:
As a collaborative reference service, Al@din will enable librarians throughout The Netherlands to share resources and expertise with each other, and with their patrons. As a result of this effort, Dutch public libraries will build a knowledge base that will help provide them with comprehensive answers to some questions that might be of particular interest to library users in The Netherlands. Over the next three years, 600 public libraries in The Netherlands are expected to use Al@din.
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, OCLC is a non-profit organisation that provides computer-based cataloguing, reference,resource sharing and preservation services to 43,000 libraries in 86 countries and territories. OCLC PICA is based in Leiden, The Netherlands. More than 200 libraries use the OCLC PICA cataloguing and interlibrary loan system to catalogue approximately one million items and send 500,000 interlibrary loan requests each year.
For further information please contact: OCLC Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 7th Floor, Tricorn House, 51-53 Hagley Road, Birmingham B16 8TP, UK. Tel: +44(0) 121 456 4656; Fax: +44(0) 121 456 4680; E-mail: europe@oclc.org; URL: www.oclc.org
