Projects

Re-imagining Discovery Services

Information Access Plan

Integrating Australian Library Services on the Web

Summary

Over the last year, the Council of Australian State Libraries (CASL) has recognised that there is a need to bring together the Australian library presence on the web to form a more accessible, cohesive and easy-to-navigate service for the community. The digital library services across the sector are growing rapidly and the cooperative infrastructure to support easy access for library users must also continue to develop.

The Information Access Plan has grown from these discussions, though it represents only the first step towards a long-term goal. It includes two elements - 1) promoting the vision of an integrated digital library service, and 2) developing projects that CASL Libraries will undertake in 2005-2006 to support the objectives of the Plan.

The objectives of the Information Access Plan are to break down the barriers to effective digital library services for the community - through improving access, simplifying interfaces, and integrating searching.

As a basic principle to underpin the current and future web initiatives of all public sector libraries, this approach will require commitment and creativity from across the sector. This paper aims to alert public libraries to the objectives of the Information Access Plan and to open up the ideas for consideration in both a local and national context.

Background

During 2004, the Council of Australian State Libraries (CASL) began discussing their concern about the expanding web presence of libraries in Australia, particularly that it was becoming complicated and confusing for the general community.

An Information Access Forum was convened in Adelaide in October 2004 to identify how this might be addressed. The Forum identified 8 structural barriers to effective information access:

1. Online delivery barriers (including cost and speed)
2. Need to involve public libraries in planning processes
3. Visibility, complexity and usability of online interfaces
4. Lack of easy access to Australian journal articles (current and retrospective)
5. Complexity of 'finding and getting' channels
6. Lack of national digitisation strategy
7. Lack of public knowledge and expectations of our services
8. Lack of collaborative management of reference queries

A small project group, including members of CASL, representatives from the National Library and a Consultant, then considered the recommendations of the Forum. The objectives of the Information Access Plan were developed and ten projects were identified that CASL Libraries could undertake in 2005-06.

Information Access Plan

As library users gain direct web access to more electronic databases, catalogues and digitised information from a wide variety of sources, the cohesion of what they are being offered through our libraries is declining. There is duplication of data; silos closing out access where it might be shared; links between services that could assist users that are not being made; variation in interfaces and service levels; infrastructure deficiencies; and lack of understanding of what is and might be offered by libraries through the web.

Online services such as the AskNow Online Reference Service, PictureAustralia, MusicAustralia, PANDORA and LibrariesAustralia are examples of the proliferation of new and influential national digital library services. There are many other smaller scale projects also underway throughout Australia.

It is this range of current digital services, and those that will be developed in the near future, that need to be considered as the components that make up the 'digital library'. From the users' point of view, they will be easier to use effectively if they are part of a connected environment with seamless linking through their library's website. In effect, a skin of integration and cohesion across digital services could be created, covering a mix of local and national content. Or alternatively, a local skin could cover national initiatives.

The objectives of the Information Access Plan are to break down the barriers to effective information access through library websites by:

• Linking digital services
• Promoting federated searching
• Simplifying interfaces
• Streamlining procedures for connecting people and items
• Improving access to the internet for public libraries

ASL Information Access Plan Projects for 2005-2006

Ten projects have been agreed as CASL's contribution to the Information Access Plan for 2005-2006 (see Attachment 1). These projects will be addressed by the National Library of Australia and by working groups with representation from CASL Libraries. They concentrate on gathering and sharing information, feasibility projects, and promoting the Information Access Plan.

Partnership with Public Libraries

To progress the Information Access Plan as a national objective will require the partnership of the public library networks. Initially this will be to evaluate the principle of integration behind the Information Access Plan, and then to consider how projects to support the Information Access Plan might be implemented in public libraries.

CASL is interested in working with public libraries to develop the practical application of the Information Access Plan. Initial emphasis might be on increasing the number of catalogues on the web; strengthening the National Bibliographic Database; user authentication; and improving inter-library loan procedures.

LibrariesAustralia, with its enhanced options for matching users and the items they request, is one example that is already impacting on all libraries. The contribution of each library to this service, including catalogues, databases and other library services, is part of the future digital library.

Conclusion

This outline of the Information Access Plan is intended to stimulate discussion in the library sector and among key stakeholders. It advocates commitment to a shared principle of integration to underpin digital library services.

The internet is a medium that promotes linking and connections, it makes traditional separations obsolete. Libraries have a long history of collaborative initiatives achieving innovation and high quality services. Working toward an integrated web presence for Australian libraries is part of this tradition.

The Council of Australian State Libraries has identified 10 initial projects to support the Information Access Plan in 2005-2006 and progress on these projects will be recorded on the CASL website (www.casl.org.au). Comments on the Information Access Plan are welcome through casl@slv.vic.gov.au.

Council of Australian State Libraries

July 2005

The Members of the Council of Australian State Libraries are:

• ACT Library & Information Service
• National Library of Australia
• National Library of New Zealand
• Northern Territory Library
• State Library of New South Wales
• State Library of Queensland
• State Library of South Australia
• State Library of Tasmania
• State Library of Victoria
• State Library of Western Australia

Attachment 1: Information Access Plan, CASL Projects 2005-06

	Objective	Project	Responsibility	Reporting
1	Facilitate sharing of information on website design, usability and accessibility.	Gather and analyse existing website design guidelines and usability reports from CASL Libraries, and recommend on how the information be best shared and maintained.	CASL Digital Issues Working Group	November 2005
2	Collaborate on the development and maintenance of internet subject guides.	Determine the feasibility of developing a core set of internet subject guides that could be maintained by one CASL member on behalf of the others.	CASL Reference Issues Working Group	November 2005
3	Enhance interoperability and streamline access to existing databases, catalogues and discovery pathways.	Survey the indexes and databases produced by CASL members (i.e. not licensed content) to determine feasibility of streamlined access via federated searching.	CASL Digital Issues Working Group	Preliminary Report, July 2005
4	Promote federated searching across the collection management systems of all state and national collecting institutions.	Continue discussions in each jurisdiction concerning federated searching between cultural institutions.	All CASL Libraries	As approp.
		Feasibility trial for federated searching across Collections Australian Network (CAN) and National Bibliographic Database (Kinetica).	National Library of Australia	Progress Report, July 2005.
5	National Library of Australia to make LibrariesAustralia directly available to the Australian public in the short term (as recommended by the recent Senate Committee Report on Libraries in the Online Environment);	Planning is underway to provide free access to the basic service from January 2006.	National Library of Australia
	National Library of Australia to consult with CASL Libraries on the collaborative development, implementation and promotion of LibrariesAustralia.	NLA will consult with the CASL Reference Issues Working Group.	National Library of Australia, CASL Reference Issues Working Group	b. Regular reports from RIWG
6	Provide more guidance to users in item request and delivery channels on LibrariesAustralia.	National Library of Australia to determine the feasibility of guiding users of LibrariesAustralia to regional or type-of-library supply networks. This enhancement will require significant cooperation from other libraries, especially public libraries – consultative mechanisms to be developed by CASL.	National Library of Australia, All CASL Libraries	Progress report, November 2005
7	Promote the Information Access Plan to public libraries and key stakeholder organisations, nationally and in all states and territories.	Develop documentation on the Information Access Plan, particularly the broader vision and objectives, for distribution through public libraries and local government peak bodies, board consultative committees, etc as appropriate in each jurisdiction.	All CASL Libraries	Preliminary report, July 2005
8	Identify options and issues in digitising Australian journal titles not currently available online.	National Library of Australia to draft an issues paper for further discussion.	National Library of Australia	November 2005
9	Improve sharing of information about digitisation projects in CASL Libraries.	Survey and digitisation strategies and projects in CASL Libraries and recommend mechanisms for sharing information.	CASL Digital Issues Working Group	November 2005
10	Investigate adoption of a common application to manage reference enquiries and the development of a shared “knowledge base” to support reference enquiries.	Approved, for further consideration in 2006.