Croydon Libraries

on the Web

by Heather Kirby

Croydon Libraries

What & how & why?

A taster of

Croydon’s experience

Croydon Online

What is Croydon Online? The vision Services & resources

How are we doing it? Necessities Approaches

Why do it & why in libraries?

What is Croydon Online? Web Site is the hub of the

Community Network Providing:

Information and Email Building:

New resources and new services Encouraging:

Ownership and participation

Vision

Croydon Online will become the first service which everyone living, working, studying in, or visiting Croydon, will use to: find information; Make contacts; Do business; Engage in learning; or Develop hobbies.

Vision (cont.)

Croydon Online will be: Updated daily Interactive Easy to use Community-wide Collaborative

Content & Services INCH Job Mart Skillsboost Online HUG Community Information Feedback Consultations/surveys Policy documents

Content & Services (cont.) Library news Book reviews Archives Service…database Museum & Heritage - collections,

exhibitions, education…database Email lists and contacts Promotion

INCHInformation Network for Croydon Health

Directory and contact information on Croydon Online

Unified, current, authoritative Managed by a cross-sectoral

group

Job Mart

A one stop shop on Croydon Online for employment opportunities in the local area

Highly Interactive, flexible and

income generating

Housebound User Group

14 members, aged 45 to 89 Dial-up connection & equipment Training and support Email List; diary sheets, visits

HUG outcomes

New, enthusiastic users of IT; exchanging URLs; contacting politicians; looking up the OPAC; sending enquiries and requests by

email

A HUG quote:

You will never know how grateful I am for this opportunity to learn with patient teachers….One of my friends, a very clever lady, is still making a dog’s dinner of her emails, so I am optimistic….

Skillsboost Online

Croydon’s first distance learning package

Online assessment & guidance Basic Skills Agency

A New Training Opportunity provided through a partnership of…

Croydon LibrariesHogarth T raining Group

Business Learning Network

I T’s easyto learn Computer Skills

• How The Courses Will Be Run...– Quality (Hands on individual PCs)– Prof essionally Qualified Tutors

– Aff ordable (£ 20.00 per course)– Small, Manageable Modular Courses– Small Groups (max 8 people per group)– All levels (I ntroductory to Advanced)– Suitable, Convenient Hours...

– Every Wednesday/ Thursday

– at Croydon Central Library– 9:30am to 11:30am

– 12:30pm to 2:30pm– 3:30pm to 5:30pm

• Courses Will Include…– Microsof t Offi ce– Microsof t Word

– Microsof t Excel– Microsof t PowerPoint– Microsof t Access– Using A PC– Microsof t Windows– I nternet

GroupTrainingsessionsare alsoavailable

f orbusinesses

For further information contact Library Staff orHeather Kirby (Croydon Central Library - 0181 760 5400)

To Book A Place - complete an Enrolment Form and...

hand in toLibrary Staff

or send to

Heather Kirby

Croydon Central LibraryKatharine Street

CROYDON, CR9 1ET

How are we doing it?

Consulting, talking, extending contacts….

Demonstrating the product Promoting the vision Contacting again

Necessities

Vision for Croydon Online; Croydon Libraries; and for Croydon

Commitment from staff Budget - something to start up Knowledge and skills - not new for

old but new and old

Approaches

Integration, e.g. with C.I. Database Carers Contact Line Age Concern directory

Simultaneous publication, e.g. consultation documents

Fill templates, e.g. voluntary organisations

Code from electronic copy Type and code from hardcopy

Approaches (cont.)

Web-edit training for staff Ftp login and shared building and

updating of the resource Extend this practice to contacts in

other organisations, with caution Continuously invite feedback on all

aspects of the site

Why are we doing this?

Modernise information services Respond efficiently to information

& communication needs Improve our efforts towards social

inclusion Extend provision of lifelong

learning opportunities

Why (cont.)

Enable the sharing of information skills across sectors

Spread good practice Build partnerships

Conclusion

The technology offers the opportunity to build a network for all interests & needs in the community

The public library, as a trusted, neutral organisation in the community, is best placed to do it.