Networked Services Policy Taskgroup publishes Internet Services issue paper
Public libraries today face difficult policy decisions when thinking about
the provision of access to the Internet for their readers. Questions arise
on issues such as: do we provide Internet access for free; should we charge;
should we use filtering software; what is the length of time people can use
an Internet terminal for; what type of
extra services should be provided? To help librarians answer these difficult
issues, a series of papers is being produced by EARL, UKOLN and the Library
Association through the Networked Services Policy Taskgroup.
The fourth paper in the series has just been published and is entitled
Internet Services: the range available to library users. It discusses
issues such as whether libraries should provide e-mail access to their
users, what are the pros and cons of chat rooms and how to manage access to
your limited number of Internet workstations. The paper also provides a
draft set of rules governing the use of Internet workstations in libraries
by the public. It has been written by Julia Harrison, Essex County
Libraries, and Sarah Ormes, UKOLN.
Six printed copies of this paper have been sent to each UK public library
authority and an electronic version can be found on the taskgroup's website
at
http://www.earl.org.uk/taskgroups/policy/issue_papers/range.htm
For further information about the issue papers, please contact
Sarah Ormes, the series editor, at UKOLN on 01225 826711. Email:
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ENDS
Notes to Editors
UKOLN is a national centre for support in network information
management in the library and information communities. It provides
awareness, research and information services. UKOLN is funded by the
Library and Information Commission, the Joint Information Systems
Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils, as well
as by project funding from the JISC and the European Union. UKOLN
also receives support from the University of Bath where it is based.
More information about UKOLN can be found at http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
EARL, the Consortium for Public Library Networking, was established
in 1995 to develop the role of public libraries in providing library
and information services over the network. It now has 164 partners
in local authorities, associate partners in government, the library
profession, higher education, and the commercial sector including
the Library Association, the British Library, the UK Office for
Library and Information Networking, the Department for Education and
Employment, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. More
information about EARL can be found at http://www.earl.org.uk/
The Library Association is the professional body for librarians and
information managers, with 25,500 members in the UK and world-wide.
More information about the Library Association can be found at
http://www.la-hq.org.uk/
Sarah Ormes
Public Library Networking Research Officer
UKOLN, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY
Visit 'Stories from the Web' at http://hosted.ukoln.ac.uk/stories/
Tel. 01225 826711
Fax. 01225 826838
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