Your Place on the Internet

Imagine going to a single web site to plan for the emerging technology needs of your library. You read reviews of hardware and software and shop for discounted technology. You learn how to write a grant proposal to fund new technology and how to troubleshoot computer glitches. You download materials that help teach patrons how to search the Internet.

You also share information about what programs have worked well in libraries of your size, discuss ways to handle patrons who misuse the technology, and take part in real-time online events such as a discussion of the E-rate, the impact of the USA Patriot Act on libraries, or the Supreme Court decision on CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act). Imagine all of this in one place.

WebJunction.org is just that, a portal designed to help library staff make the best use of emerging digital opportunities. It was launched May 12, 2003 by OCLC Online Computer Library Center, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resources on WebJunction are practical and down-to-earth and address real problems that librarians face every day. Most important, at WebJunction you can identify and communicate with your peers about topics that are important to you.

Since its inception, the Gates Foundation has transformed public libraries. When the U.S. library program is complete at the end of 2004, the foundation will have placed computers in 10,000 libraries and trained 62,000 librarians in the use of these computers and the Internet. [For a detailed look at the impact of the program, see "The Gates Legacy " (LJ 3/1/03, p. 44–48).]

Because of this initiative and the efforts of local libraries, the number of public libraries now providing public access computing is approaching 100 percent. But these advancements do not come without cost. The number of staff is often inadequate to serve the increased number of patrons. Training, for staff and the public, is everyone's top priority. Technical support, including crisis troubleshooting and routine maintenance and upgrades, takes time and resources previously used for other services. Policy issues like public access, filtering, privacy, and security now fill the pages of professional journals as well as court dockets.

The people at the foundation understand that the continued success of public access computing requires a community of users who can share knowledge and experience. In 2002 the foundation awarded a grant to OCLC and partners to create a public access computing portal. The goal of WebJunction is to build a strong, self-sustaining community. It will be a knowledge network and a resource center, where "minds meet" to solve problems and celebrate successes.

Some content, such as original training modules and articles of special interest to library staff, has been commissioned for WebJunction. Other pieces have been drawn from existing sources such as the Gates U.S. Library Program and groups that support computing in not-for-profits like TechSoup and NPower, organizations not well known in the library community. As the site matures, we expect that much of the content will come from users.

A needs assessment conducted in late 2002 found that topics librarians are especially interested in fall into several broad categories, which then informed the basic structure of the web site. The major tabs for the portal are Technology Resources, Buying Guide, Learning Center, Policies and Practices, and Community Center.

WebJunction is searchable by keyword and will soon offer a "How do I…" menu that will pull up information across topic areas about specific, frequently encountered tasks. These tasks will change over time in response to needs. Some examples are "How do I troubleshoot a network problem?" or "How do I handle a difficult patron?" In response to these questions you will find articles, training modules, policies and practices in other libraries, or discussion boards.

Technical assistance is one of the biggest challenges facing librarians in isolated libraries that don't have access to technical support staff. Topic areas in the technology resources section include general tech support and information on hardware, software, the Internet, technology planning, networking, accessibility, security, and computer maintenance. Initially WebJunction is linking to PAComputing, which provides technical support for Gates computers. In a later release, this information will become a permanent part of WebJunction. Some of the nearly 150 articles currently available in this section cover how to set up a new computer, understand antivirus software, and use a digital camera. Articles vary in skill level; some are offered in Spanish.

Our surveys indicate that you want help from a "real live person." As we continue to develop WebJunction we will work with you to meet this need. Among the solutions we're considering are a space to post questions that can be answered by others on the site or by a volunteer group of technical support staff in state and large public libraries across the country.

The buying guide provides reviews and general purchase advice for hardware and software. It lists information about discounts and donations. In a future release we plan to offer an auction capability and a service called DiscounTech, an online listing of donated and discounted hardware and software available for online purchase at a discounted price to nonprofits and government groups. Some of the articles included in this section discuss choosing software that fits your needs, making sense of software licensing, and soliciting software donations.

The learning center offers e-learning courses, downloadable PDFs, and downloadable handouts. Some of the courses are new, prepared especially for WebJunction. Others are gathered here because they offer training respondents told us they need. Some of the areas covered by a series of courses concern public access computers, the Internet, and how to facilitate training. We plan to add courses on sustainability, advocacy, outreach, and handling difficult situations.

There are numerous nontechnical issues emanating from computer access that are critical to library service. Major topics covered here are library policies, public access computing, accessibility, planning, funding, and marketing. Library policies include acceptable use and computer policies, staff and volunteer management, and ADA and federal policies (i.e., the Patriot Act, CIPA). Topics to be added include collection development and preservation strategies and techniques.

The section on public access computing covers how to build support for public access and information on filtering. It also contains information on computing for kids, seniors, and English-language learning. The accessibility area contains information on managing computers in a limited-resource environment and building accessible web sites. Federal and state regulations will be added.

Two important and powerful planning tools will help you determine what you want from technology. TechAtlas allows you to construct a customized technology plan, with a specific blueprint with methods, time lines, and a price tag for implementing improvements. Library systems can also use TechAtlas to develop proprietary assessment tools specifically targeted toward their needs. TechSurveyor will help individual libraries compile a complete inventory of technology assets.

You'll also find information on budgeting, grants and grant writing, and fundraising. Marketing provides basic information about press releases, public service announcements, and other strategies for communicating effectively with a library's many communities. To be successful this section relies more on librarian contributions than some of the others. Add your policies, case studies, and best practices.

Ways to get librarians talking to each other are woven throughout the site. We are starting with nine community forums for multiple ongoing discussions. Topics for these discussions are drawn from the needs assessment. As you use these boards and find a need for others on different topics, please let us know. If you are interested in moderating a message board we would also like to hear from you.

In addition to interactive message boards, the community center offers a column written by George Needham, VP of member services at OCLC, called "I'm Curious, George," the newsletter archive, and a members directory. We will soon begin to feature a library of the month; expect future releases to include a careers center and events calendar.

The site started off with content that you told us you need, but we can't stop there. Please visit WebJunction.org. Let us know how we can improve it as your needs change. But most important, contribute information that you have found useful so all can share in your discovery. Let us know about your library, training you find useful, web sites you think are especially good, and solutions you have for common problems. To help encourage participation we will reward those who contribute the best content in several areas. Grand prize winners will be recognized at a special ceremony each year.

WebJunction will be what you want it to be. Don't forget that it's .org, not .com. It's not a commercial venture. It's your place.