A special project of the Australian Library and Information Association

Libraries Online Day
Friday 18 May 2001

Libraries Online Day aims to raise awareness of the vital role of library and information services in the provision of quality access to online information resources and to promote libraries as points of access to the internet and other online resources.

Australia is becoming a knowledge nation. Information and services are increasingly being provided through the internet. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey data shows that in 2000, half of all adults in Australia accessed the internet - this is an impressive 9.6 million adults. While a third accessed the internet at home and a quarter accessed it at work, 24 per cent of all adults accessed the internet at sites other than home or work. (Use of the internet by householders. 8147.0. November 2000).

The ABS data shows that libraries and educational institutions are key providers of internet access to those who do not have access from home or work. In 2000, six per cent of all adults accessed the internet in libraries - this is equivalent to 828 000 people. Seven per cent of all adults gained access to the internet from tertiary institutions - this is 966 000 people.

For a knowledge nation dependent upon electronic information and services, gaining internet access, and being able to effectively use the internet, is becoming a social justice as well as a socioeconomic issue. The ABS data confirms this. In 2000, employed adults were more than twice as likely to have accessed the internet than adults who were not employed. Adults with incomes over $40 000 were almost twice as likely to have been internet users than adults with incomes under $40 000. Within the lower-income bracket, libraries, educational institutions and other people's homes were the most likely places of internet access.

The ABS data further confirms that as age increases, the likelihood that an adult uses the internet decreases. It may surprise, however, that 19 per cent of adults over 55 were internet users. Older adults were more likely to access the internet from home. In contract, 74 per cent of younger adults aged between 18-24 year were internet users. They are most likely to use the internet at a site other than work or home.

Libraries play an important role in the community for providing conveniently-located internet access and training to those who do not have access from home or work. A recent ALIA telephone survey showed that public libraries in states and territories have more than 1800 internet access points, located in over 550 locations. Adding national, state and territory libraries, the number of internet access points rises to over 2000.

Libraries Online Day is an opportunity for library and information services within all sectors to showcase your online services and support services, as well as their expertise as information specialists.

It is also an opportunity for the profession to get behind ALIA's advocacy campaign to ensure public libraries become key community centres for internet access where this is not already the case. Please inform us of your activities, so we can publicise them on ALIAnet and to the media.

ALIA is encouraging all libraries with online resources to make the most out of the day.

Ideas for online user activities

The Libraries Online Day proposals contained in this document are targeted at public libraries. They are intended as starting points for libraries wishing to showcase their services, reach new users, and develop community appreciation of their range of online services and the value which information specialists bring to the identification, retrieval and validation of online information.

ALIA wishes to thank the Brisbane City Council Library Services and the State Library of Queensland Public Libraries Branch for these splendid proposals for Libraries Online Day activities.

Building influence

Community coalitions
Take advantage of Libraries Online Day to co-operate and build coalitions with commercial and non-commercial service providers and other organisations in your community. These groups may not be aware of your services and can become useful supporters of your library within your community. Working with these other groups may also broaden your understanding of their needs for your information resources and services.

Involve politicians
Use the opportunity of Libraries Online Day to build or cement your relationship with your elected representatives. Invite your local councillors or state member to your library to welcome groups to the day's activities - and invite the local media too. You can also invite the politicians to share a cup of tea with participants at the end of sessions, or to judge and give prizes for any competitions you may have organised. Libraries Online Day is a particularly good opportunity to demonstrate the expertise of library staff to your councillors. Why not run orientation sessions for any councillors who are not familiar with using the internet or other library technology, and invite councillors who are more advanced internet users to internet sessions specially tailored to their portfolios or areas of interest?

Invite the media
Seek a meeting with the local newspaper editors to seek their coverage of issues relating to internet access and to other electronic information through the local library. Alternatively, invite the editor to the library, show the resources and explain how libraries are key points of internet access. Community libraries may be the only possible points of access for people on lower incomes, unemployed, young people, elderly people. You can also invite the local newspaper editors and journalistic staff to the library to hone their internet searching skills.

Ideas for user education activities

Internet training sessions are often generic in their content as they aim to cover a range of needs in groups attending user education activities. Many libraries target their user education activities to specific groups in the community such as seniors, young adults, women, or to specific areas of interests, such as job-seeking, stock-brokering or doing homework. By matching the session and demonstrated sites to the interests of the group, user education will become more relevant to the audience, and more fun.

For Libraries Online Day you could consider partnering with local businesses and subject experts. Why not run special sessions such as: travel agents on 'Planning your holiday using the net'; or real estate agents on 'Buying and selling a house over the net'; or with a stockbroker on 'Buying stocks and shares over the net'. Such activities will show the library as a place to find all sorts of information and people, as well as the centre of knowledge and lifelong learning in the community.

Internet user education - getting started

Online tutorials and lesson plans
A number of state and other libraries have in place online tutorials and lesson plans for internet user education. If your library does not have such resources, try these tutorials and plans which have been created by other libraries and posted on the web: http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/publib/usered/tutorial.htm.

Trainers packages
The State Library of Queensland has developed a range of Microsoft Powerpoint presentations, trainer's notes and participants' handouts for public libraries to use when providing internet user education. These packages include: Bush.connect: getting started on the internet; Internet sites for job seekers; Personal security on the web; and Seniors and the internet: what's in it for you.

Building online confidence

Online and confident - getting connected
Go through the basic requirements for getting connected to the internet from home. Suggest that participants use the library's site as their home page. Invite participants to an introductory internet session so that they can make the most of their time online.

Online and confident - using the internet for transactions
Invite industry speakers and consumer advocates to the library to demonstrate and talk to interested parties, including seniors groups and self-funded retirees, about banking, shopping, buying stocks and shares and paying bills online.

Online and confident - technology showcase
Build community confidence with the online world by partnering with information technology providers to showcase the latest technology - in a friendly environment. For instance, focus on the e-book in an E-book showcase - hands-on sessions for the 'need to knows' and the 'click and go's'. Invite local book clubs to come to the library and experience a Rocket Reader.

Online and confident - seniors learning from seniors
Seek the co-operation of local seniors who are online savvy, to train other seniors in using the internet in one on one sessions. Prior to the event, go through your library's internet lesson plans with the senior-trainer and emphasise the most important aspects to using information sourced on the web, for example, evaluation of information, choosing a search engine. Launch the Seniors learning from seniors service during Online Day. Make an internet terminal available two or three mornings a week for the seniors' trainers. If the library does not have any suitable seniors contacts, use other LIW activities to source them or try the University of the Third Age, Seniors Centres, CentreLink, or put a message on the library notice board. Perhaps your local newspaper and radio station might be willing to assist you too.

Online and confident - getting ready for a job
Invite job-seekers to the library to demonstrate how they can use the internet to find a job. The State Library of Queensland trainers' package internet sites for job-seekers at http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/publib/usered/ may be of assistance. Internet skills may be required in advertised jobs. Targeting job-seekers for internet user education may be particularly useful. You could invite your local employment agency to come and give advice, too.

Online and confident - beyond the known web
Invite intermediate and advanced internet users to the library to find out more about the 'Invisible web' or 'Hidden web'. A good starting point for library staff planning this session is 'Uncovering the invisible web' by Edols, Liz in Online Currents, Vol 15, N0 (8), Oct 2000.

Internet interests

Armchair traveller
Invite travel enthusiasts to join you on a virtual tour to exciting places, and make a feast of it. Select your destination, and take your participants on a virtual tour of museums, art galleries, libraries, webcams and other travel delights. If possible serve samples of food and drink and play background music from the selected country or region to enjoy as the armchairs take off [remember, an APRA license is required if you play music in a public space]. The armchair traveller provides an opportunity to partner with local community groups who have links to the chosen country or region to make it more relevant and participative. This session works best in a meeting room or other space equipped with a data projector and large screen connected to the internet. Set the room up to be comfortable - armchairs would be an advantage. Support the event with a range of library resources such as travel guides and magazines, cookery and art books, compact discs, videos, language courses and internet bookmarks. The armchair traveller travels well: a number of libraries can join forces and each agree on a different destination for their library.

Online hobbies
Many hobbies and recreational interests have excellent coverage on the web. Invite local interest groups and individuals to the library to learn to use the internet and find out about the information resources that are available for their hobby. Use a lesson plan and work with someone who is informed about the hobby beforehand to ensure that the demonstrated sites are relevant to their interests. Some suggested topics: Online book clubs: Set up or explore existing online book clubs. Online book clubs can include bulletin-board type groups, live chat discussion groups and 'chapter a day' services. Quilting and other crafts: Look for patterns, tools, discussion groups, books, online magazines, information on guilds and products and merchandise. Cooking online: Find recipes, techniques, sourcing unusual ingredients and equipment. Digital art: Partner with digital artists to give demonstrations and workshops. Digital photography: Look for software tips, discussion groups, composition and hardware. And many more interests: Find sites for bird watchers, environment groups, astronomers, bushwalkers, gardening groups.

Publishing on the net
Partner with the local or state-wide Writers' Centre to present a session at the library on how to publish and market your work on the internet.

Virtual arts
Create a tour of the great virtual art galleries, museums and music venues of the world. The tour could include the Museum of Modern Art, The Louvre, and Smithsonian. This would work best with a data projector and big screen connected to the internet. Alternatively, you could create a list or link on their web page for customers to explore at their own pace.

Genealogy on the net
Run sessions for local genealogy groups and interested individuals. Most state libraries have links to useful resources which are a great starting point, here is an example from the State Library of Queensland.

Support local-global communication and democracy in an online world
Library customers could participate from home or come to the library and engage as a group online. Two possible approaches are: Online chats: Co-ordinate or join in an online chat with high profile people from Australia and the world who are well-regarded by your community of users: for example, authors, scientists, inventors, environmentalists; Online discussion threads on controversial topics: Topics could include: Witchcraft with Fiona Horne, Graffiti vs Art, The Death of the Book, Voluntary Euthanasia with Doctor Phillip Nitschke, Global Warming: Fact or Fiction? Note that the discussion may need to be moderated.

Engaging young people

Online web page design for kids
Demonstrations and workshops using free webpage design sites. Kids can create their own websites. Provide a list of the features of good web design. Hold a competition for the wildest web page. A good starting point for planning the content of this workshop is here.

Internet treasure hunt
Create cryptic questions that lead participants to websites containing answers to a puzzle which leads to the secret treasure! This could be run with a group during one session or as a competition over LIW with participants needing to find the correct answer and lodge an entry form to win. Announce the winner on Libraries Online Day, and invite your favourite councillor to present the winner with a trophy.

Online rally
Groups of participants traverse from website to website following clues (created by the library) and collecting pieces of information as evidence that they have completed the rally. The library's website could be the 'finish line'. Young people could play as individuals or form teams to compete in the rally. Questions should be challenging, funny or unusual. To maintain interest, aim for a mix of questions where most participants should be able to answer about 70 per cent of the questions without too much trouble, and about 30 per cent of the questions should present a challenge.

WWW = Weird and Wonderful Websites for Kids
Children will have fun at the library exploring a range of weird and wonderful websites. Run a competition for the 'weirdest' website found.

A gathering of game cheats
Create an opportunity for kids to gather and share their knowledge of cheat codes available on the internet. Do this via the internet-connected personal computers but also have a whiteboard handy so that they can record their favourite cheat sites. Turn the whiteboard information into a handout or link from your website. No need to make this session too structured!

Homework help
Take participants though the most-relevant internet homework helps sites and subject directories for Australian school students. This is a great opportunity to showcase any online databases used by the library. Create a handout or link on your website so that participants can easily follow it up when they are doing their homework.

Poster competition - draw the library in 2020
Gather entries in time to include in your library's display for LIW2001. Announce the winner on Online Day. Call on a councillor to make the announcement.