Search

Using as a starting point the report, New Library :the People’s Network (1997), the article delves into the developments in the UK, and especially in Wales, related to the improvement of information and communication technologies for public libraries. Following an overall description of the project, the author focusses in on training programmes for library staff, which are a key element for putting into action the People’s Network.

A partir de l’informe New Library: the People’s Network (1997) es repassen els desenvolupaments que han tingut lloc al Regne Unit i sobretot al País de Gal·les per millorar les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació a les biblioteques públiques. Després d’una panoràmica de les línies generals del projecte, l’autora presta atenció als programes de formació del personal bibliotecari, que són un element bàsic de la posada en marxa de l’anomenada People’s Network.

Purpose: The People's Collection Wales aims to collect, interpret, distribute and discuss Wales' cultural heritage in an online environment. Individual users or local history societies are able to create their own digital collections, contribute relevant content, as well as access digital resources from heritage institutions. This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of the People's Collection Wales, which is being funded through CyMAL: Museums, Archives and Libraries Wales. Design/methodology/approach: Work on digitising various collections in Welsh cultural heritage institutions, such as Culturenet Cymru, the National Library of Wales, the National Museum Wales, and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales has been in progress since the 1990s. An overview of this work is given, along with details of how the People's Collection Wales project has developed between 2009 and 2011. Findings: Material available from the People's Collection Wales is available in a variety of media, including: film; images; video and audio clips; maps; photographs; and text. The web site also uses global positioning system technology to allow users to travel over the landscape of Wales, and view artefacts in three dimensions. Originality/value: People's Collection Wales is an example of a service resulting from a convergence of libraries, archives and museums, and which showcases user involvement in the creation of digital content. A number of innovative applications, including mobile technologies, are being implemented within the project. (Contains 10 figures.)

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate how public libraries in Ireland are using their websites to present local studies collections online. Design/methodology/approach: All the websites of public libraries in Ireland were evaluated against a checklist of 50 criteria by one of the authors. An analytic description was provided of the four highest-ranking websites and semi-structured interviews were held with staff in these library authorities. Findings: Several interesting trends in Irish local studies and their online presentation were identified. Overall the websites were well-presented and had a strong sense of branding. Users of these websites typically come from the Irish diaspora in Europe, the US and Australia. Library 2.0 "tools" had been adopted by three of the four authorities investigated, adding value to their websites. Recommendations for future developments are included. Originality/value: This research should add to the relatively sparse literature available on local authority local studies websites.

The role of the public library in encouraging reading and using ICT in the reading development process has been included in a number of Government reports during the 1990s and 2000s in the UK. Following the successful implementation of the People's Network many public libraries are developing ways of using ICT in reader development. In Wales, as part of an initiative called Estyn Allan (Branching Out) all 22 public library authorities have staff responsible for reader-development issues covering, in many cases, both the Welsh and English languages. This article reports on the results of a questionnaire, sent to all reader-development librarians in Wales, and provides examples of some of the work being undertaken. (Contains 11 figures.)

Provides an overview of the PROLIB and EDULIB projects, which involved the development and delivery of distance learning courses in the Slovak language to library and information professionals in the Slovak Republic. Explains the combination of face-to-face lecture sessions, group discussions, self-study workbooks, and computer-mediated Internet communication. (Author/LRW)

Reports on an evaluation of the Ariadne project which involved the production of a print and a Web magazine for subject librarians in academic libraries. It was developed to describe and evaluate sources and services available on the Internet for librarians and information professionals in the United Kingdom. (Author/LRW)

Descriptions of available microcomputer software cover basic software, word processing, database management systems, in-house information retrieval, searching of external online information retrieval systems, in-house library housekeeping, and financial and management software. Checklist of points to consider when acquiring software, 36 references, and 36 addresses of software producers and suppliers are included. (EJS)