apologies for cross posting
MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATIONS
CENTRE FOR RESEARCH IN LIBRARY &
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
PRESS RELEASE
The Value and Impact of End-User IT
Access in Libraries
What is the value of providing access to IT in public
libraries? What beneficial impact is there on users? Are
public libraries achieving their objectives with new services
such as access to the Internet? These are just some of the
questions which the new VITAL research project will be
examining. Called in full the Value and Impact of End-User
IT Access in Libraries, the project is aiming to develop a
standard set of methodologies which will be useful to
librarians all over the country – and not just in public libraries.
Led by the Centre for Research in Library & Information
Management (CERLIM) at Manchester Metropolitan
University, VITAL also involves the public library authorities
of Birmingham, Cheshire and Cumbria. Each of these three
authorities has pioneered IT access, but using different
models which reflect the needs of their particular users. The
project will also be calling on the expertise of staff of the
Information for Learning consultancy, who have many years
experience researching the impact of open learning in public
libraries. In addition the VITAL team are in contact with
parallel work in the United States, in Singapore and across
Europe.
The VITAL team will be led by Professor Peter Brophy,
Director of CERLIM, who said: “VITAL offers a superb
opportunity to put IT access in libraries on a firm footing by
providing evidence of the very real value it can provide to all
kinds of users. We aim to provide the basis for the
authoritative assessments of these services that will be
needed to underpin future investment. By so doing, VITAL
will help enhance the position of libraries in the Information
Society.”
VITAL is an 18 month project and is funded by the British
Library Research & Innovation Centre.
Further details about the project can be found on the
website, at:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/h-ss/cerlim/projects/vital.htm
Enquiries may be addressed to:
Juliet Eve, Research Fellow,
CERLIM, Manchester Metropolitan University,
Geoffrey Manton Building,
Rosamond Street West,
Manchester M15 6LL
Tel: 0161-247-6142 Fax: 0161-247-6351
[log in to unmask] http://www.mmu.ac.uk/h-ss/cerlim/
ENDS [4.5.99]
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