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CLIS Research Seminar Series

February 26, 2008 @ 10-11 Am
"Public Libraries and the Internet: Roles, Issues, and Policy "

John Bertot, Ph.D.
College of Information
Florida State University

Tuesday, February 26, 10-11 am
Room 2119 Hornbake Building, South Wing

Abstract

Public libraries were early adopters of Internet technologies, and quickly ventured into the provision of public access to computers and the Internet.  Having increased their public access to the Internet and public computers steadily since 1994, public libraries became essential community-based providers of free access to the Internet and computers.  Moreover, the access that public libraries provide spawned a range of service roles for public libraries, including information and technology literacy, e-government, emergency service provision, and others.  At the same time, the policy environment in which public libraries provide their public access services have forced more restrictive access policies through filtering and other requirements.  The most recent Public Libraries and the Internet survey (2006-2007) shows that public libraries now face a range of challenges regarding the extent to which they can maintain and enhance their public access services.  In short, public libraries face issues that simply adding more computers or increasing bandwidth — strategies that worked reasonably well until recently — can resolve.  As such, public libraries are at a critical point in their ability to serve as community-based public access venues.  This presentation identifies the roles, issues, and policies that govern public library public Internet access services.

About the speaker

John Carlo Bertot is Professor of Information Studies and Associate Director of the Information Institute at the College of Information, Florida State University. His research spans library technology planning and evaluation, information and telecommunications policy, and e-government.  He has conducted a range of research broadly related to planning and evaluation of networked services funded by the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services, the American Library Association, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  His publications focus on topics related to demonstrating the value of library services, E-Government, and Telecommunications Policy. Bertot serves as chair of the International Standards Organization’s (ISO) Library Performance Indicator working group and is a member of the ISO Library Statistics working group.  He also serves as a member of the National Information Standards Organization’s (NISO) Business Information Topic committee. Bertot serves as Chair of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Library Research Round Table, and was recently appointed as chair of ALA’s Library Telecommunications Capacity Task Force.  Bertot serves on the Board of the Digital Government Society of North America. Also, Bertot is co-editor of Library Quarterly, the longest running library and information science journal in the United States, and editor of Government Information Quarterly.