Public Libraries and the Internet 2006

Examines the capability of public libraries to provide and sustain public access Internet services and resources that meet community needs, including serving as the first choice for content, resources, services, and technology infrastructure

User-Based Data Collection Techniques and Strategies for Evaluating Networked Information Services

published or submitted for publicatio

Some empirical evidence on business-IT alignment processes in the public sector: A case study report

An empirical study that explores business-IT alignment processes in a networked organization among the province Overijssel, the municipalities Zwolle and Enschede, the water board district Regge & Dinkel and Royal Grolsch N.V. in The Netherlands, is summarized in this report. The aim of the study was to identify processes that contribute to improve such alignment. This study represents a continuation of previous validation efforts that help us to confirm the business-IT alignment process areas that should ultimately be included in the ICoNOs MM. Evidence was sought for the alignment of business and IT through the use of information systems to support the requirements of the organization in a specific project. The results of this study in the public sector also are relevant to the private sector where (i) business-IT alignment plays an increasingly valuable role, and (ii) the characteristics of collaborative networked organizations are present

Disconnected: Poverty, Water Supply and Development in Jakarta, Indonesia

human development, water, sanitation

Management development in the networked library

Information technology has transformed library and information services. Distinctive features of the electronic library include the shift towards self-service modes of delivery, with distributed access to networked resources, and a focus on the end user and tailored provision to meet particular client needs. Implicit in this model is a switch from print-based materials to new multimedia sources. The role of information specialists is changing from searcher/information provider to facilitator, adviser, or consultant in information management. User education trends reflect these developments with the integration of information skills instruction into the teaching/learning process associated with project work and specific assignments. The impact of the convergence of computing and telecommunications technologies extends beyond information systems and service strategies. New patterns of service require new styles of provision, necessitating new imperatives for staff development and training, as well as a review of organizational structures that may no longer be relevant. Management styles are changing alongside service developments, typically featuring flatter, more flexible structures; wider participation in policy-making and decision-taking; the use of task forces to review and develop services; devolved financial responsibility and improved planning and performance measurement. Total Quality Management is a philosophy ideally suited to the library of the future