[409] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Internet and Public Libraries
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Public-Access Computer Systems For)
Wed Jun 3 12:18:32 1992
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 1992 11:10:26 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
3 Messages, 64 Lines
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From: BURNET@ZODIAC.BITNET
Subject: Re: Child of Computerspeak
Jerry Kuntz writes:
_I disagree that public access to Internet is a crucial need at this time
to support the "information access" mission of public libraries.
For one thing, patron access to Internet presents many technical and
training difficulties. How many public libraries have a high-speed
telecommunications link to a POP? If they don't, they must used rather
awkward PC-based programs that may offer telenetting and/or email, but
not ftp._
While it may be a bit early to expect _patron access_ to the internet in the
public library context, I don't think it is too soon for public libraries
to begin seriously thinking about providing their professional staff with
such access. Learning the internet is not an easy task--I've been at it
for many years and there is still alot I don't know. The points raised
regarding technical and training issues are excellent, but it seems to
me that these cannot be appropriately resolved without a dialog which
includes representatives of the public library constituency. Perhaps
WAIS will help with some of the public training problems, but it is still
early in the life of that technology, so probably too soon to tell.
Kathleen Burnett
burnet@zodiac.rutgers.edu
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From: BURNET@ZODIAC.BITNET
Subject: Re: Public Libraries and the ne
I'd like to second Ethelle Bean's comment that "this should be part of
the planning for the new national "infrastructure" which politicians are
beginning to discuss." Unfortunately, public libraries are not explicitly
included in the NREN initiative--one might even see the name (National RESEARCH
and EDUCATION network) as exclusionary. While many of us see the public
library as an institution of independent learning, let me caution that this
view is by no means universal. For instance, I attended the ASIS mid-year
conference. Brewster Kahle gave a plenary address which was, on the whole,
very exciting. However, when it came to his vision of the future of libraries,
I had to wonder whether he'd ever been inside a public library (certainly
if he had they weren't the ones I've worked in or used). His vision of
"reading rooms" in shopping malls appeared to preclude any real possibilities
of research support AND children as a library constituency! Perhaps
I'm being unfair, but the reading room he described included a small fiction
reading collection and computer access.
Kathleen Burnett
burnet@zodiac.rutgers.edu
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Please respond to the author, not PACS-L. Thanks, Dana
From: Debbie Huberman <DHUBERMA@KENTVM>
Subject: Public Libraries & Internet
Someone mentioned the other day that at least 20 public libraries in
this country have high speed telecommunications capability with which to
access the internet. Does anyone have a list of which libraries these
are?
I am curious!!
Debbie Huberman (dhuberma@kentvm.kent.edu)
