EC Public Libraries Group Launched

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Katarina Steinwachs>

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>
>EC PUBLIC LIBRARIES GROUP LAUNCHED
>
>The Libraries sector of the European Commission's Telematics
>Programme took the first steps towards launching a new
>initiative for Public Libraries at a meeting on
>7 November in Luxembourg. The proposed initiative,
>called PUBLICA, it is a Concerted Action for Public Libraries.
>
>STUDY COMMISSIONED
>
>The first activity envisaged is a study entitled Public Libraries
>and the Information Society. It follows a poor response from
>the public library sector, as opposed to the research and academic
>library sector, to the Commission's calls under Third Framework
>Programme and the first call on Telematics for Libraries under the
>current Fourth Framework Programme. As public libraries represent
>half of some 100,000 libraries throughout the European Union,
>the Commission is keen to see them better represented.
>
>Telematics for Libraries aims to stimulate and co-ordinate the
>response of libraries to the changes brought about
>by the Information Society. It comes under the
>Commission's Telematics Applications programme.
>
>As an adjunct to this programme, the concerted action
>PUBLICA has the objectives of:
>
> - stimulating more public library participation in the current programme;
>
> - assisting the European Commission in ensuring public
>libraries benefit from the results of projects;
>
> - reducing disparities between public library services
>in the different Member States
>
>It aims to raise awareness of telematics and its implications for public
>libraries, to create a better understanding of the opportunities
>and threats it poses, and to produce examples which
>can be replicated throughout the Union.
>
>Concerted actions come under what is known as accompanying
>measures; that is, measures which help the main projects
>by supportive actions such as gathering
>information, sharing views, and agreeing common objectives.
>
>INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS
>
>One problem for PUBLICA to address is the lack of
>international contact which prevents Public Libraries from knowing
>partners from other EU states with whom
>they can join in projects. The project ideas exist,
>but the ability to create fundable projects is at the moment weak.
>
>Summing up the event, Chris Batt, Borough Libraries Officer for
>Croydon UK, said It is important to remember that,
>in the Information Technology age information
>should be written large, and we should ensure that the technology
>is applied in a way that is right for the purpose.
>PUBLICA is a mechanism for libraries across
>Europe to evaluate and demonstrate
>the way forward for the sector.
>
>Ian M. Pigott
>
>See: http://www.echo.lu/programmes/en/LIBRARIES.html
>
>
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Katarina Steinwachs, Information Network Manager
The British Council, Hahnenstrasse 6, 50667 Koeln
Tel.: 0221 2064435, Fax: 0221 2064468
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