ICT and the Public Library

In the National Action Plan on the Information Super Highway, public libraries were pinpointed as general access points and various projects have since been developed. The government has supported the regeneration of public and community information with the help of information technology. The Internet is now accessible in all 1115 libraries, with more than 500 having their own website. The main emphasis is on making the public library the gateway to the Information Super Highway and public information services.
A comprehensive plan has provided all public libraries with Internet-ready computers, legislative and other public information on CD-ROM, and advanced communication with schools. ICT training and media education has been set up, both for the general public and school pupils. Most library staff have been trained in delivering ICT courses to various target groups.
In terms of ICT content, co-operation, standardisation, common hosting and centralised expertise are essential if a new step forward in library services is to be achieved. NBLC is expected to take on a pro-active and co-ordinating role in developing and implementing ICT in public libraries. Its strategic ICT plan is summarised below.

The local library as an access point
The local library will remain the point of access for information, including ICT format. This philosophy is not only based on the existing framework but also on the link between the physical and virtual. Libraries exist both as a building (physical) and as a service (virtual), and this differentiates them from other information providers. Therefore, national initiatives relating to the Internet have to be presented locally.

Site generator
Most libraries build and maintain their own Internet site. In June 2000, NBLC ordered an external firm to develop 'site generator' software. The site generator is a dynamic construction kit which would allow every library to build and manage its own site. The library can also maintain the site online, updating information as required. The site generator has the additional advantage that nationally developed content can be presented on the library's own local site.

Bibliotheek.nl
he site generator is essentially a technical platform which enables the development and maintenance of an individual library's own Internet site. Content is the most important aspect of the site, and part of that content is produced locally. The site generator offers plenty of possibilities in this respect. With the help of 'subject libraries' (see below) an easy framework has been created. A large part of the content, however, is developed nationally or provincially.
The national part has as an umbrella: www.bibliotheek.nl. Our main endeavour is to convince the public that bibliotheek.nl is a good hub, offering more than just links to Internet sites. Bibliotheek.nl also refers to books, videos & services; in short, it is a library. Bibliotheek.nl takes the physical and virtual library as its foundation.
Although www.bibliotheek.nl can be accessed independently, this is not the intention, as it is available through local library websites. The visitor will only see that the information has been acquired from elsewhere by the logo or header.

Subject libraries
The public library has always been the public gateway to culture, information and education. Anyone with a question knows that the answer can be found at a public library. The Internet has multiplied and complicated the amount of information available in the public domain, and even advanced search engines cannot filter it adequately. Furthermore, search engine 'hits' only refer to Internet sites, when a book or other document might be more useful.
The public library solves this problem by the concept of subject libraries to regulate the information streams. A subject library is a digital package of basic data on a certain topic. It has been collected by (or in co-operation with) the public library and is published via the Internet on www.bibliotheek.nl (and therefore also on the local library). This package can serve as a link between the enormous amount of information and the first, basic questions on a topic.
The subject library-concept is in fact something which libraries have always done: arranging, selecting and presenting information material in the cultural, social and educational field. Libraries have a non-profit approach and include three common features:

1. A general approach, i.e. non-specialised. For specialised information people are referred to special libraries. This general approach also offers the possibility of developing subject libraries for schools education on Internet: KnowledgeNet (Kennisnet).

2. A limited selection. Not all information is in the public library, but a good quality selection from the total on offer, and there is referral to other sources.

3. The selection is not limited to a few media. Whatever information medium is produced (books, videos, Internet sites etc), it will be made accessible through the public library.

In principle every sluice contains:
subject heading
synonyms and related keywords
broader and narrower terms
target group
professional introduction to the content
a methodological introduction (how do I search this topic?)
a selected number of useful digital records (reference works, digitised newspaper and magazine clippings
an excellent selection of Internet sites
a number of quality books
a selection of other media (video, sound, CD-ROM)
summaries (if required)
miscellaneous items as relevant

The subject libraries will be built through the co-operation of the libraries, whilst NBLC will be responsible for the initial stage and co-ordination.

Summary
The public library is changing dramatically. ICT is one of the main factors in this dynamic. The time of constructing simple, individual Internet sites (dot.com) is over, the era of dot.value has come. ICT changes organisational processes, including within libraries. ICT encourages public libraries to co-operate, and NBLC has to take a co-ordinating role; all parties are required to be flexible.
NBLC presented a policy paper based on the concept presented here, and the plan was adopted by the member libraries in December 2000.