Libraries and Internet

This course will be delivered by expert lecturers and library practitioners. It will cover the broad areas outlined below, although the exact content may change slightly once the course participants have been selected, and their level of Internet expertise and precise subject orientation becomes better known. The Internet itself is rapidly evolving, and the course will incorporate all the latest developments which are relevant to library professionals. The course will combine lectures, seminars, with hands-on practical classes and workshops. On completion of the course, participants will have gained sufficient knowledge and expertise to be able to return to the institutions to teach others, both library staff and users. To this end, the course will also include sessions on Internet training techniques and strategies. Starting with general introductory sessions on the Internet and Internet concepts and protocols (TCP/IP, Internet addressing, client-server architecture, etc.), the course will cover networking tools and software applications (electronic mail, bulletin boards, Listservs, Usenet groups, Telnet and FTP). Significant emphasis will be placed on the development of the World Wide Web (WWW), the use of web browsers (e.g. Netscape, Mosaic, MS Explorer), and the evolution of popular search engines from the early tools (e.g. Gopher, Archie, Jughead, Veronica, etc.) through post-WEB search directories (e.g. Yahoo!) to the more comprehensive search engines (e.g. Lycos, Alta Vista, Infoseek, WebCrawler, etc.) up to and including also the most recent megasearch (parallel internet query) engines, such as WWW Virtual Library, Virtual Reference Desk, Galaxy, Essential Links, Internet Sleuth, etc. In addition to the broader aspects of Internet searching and navigation, there will be a significant emphasis on the use of the Internet as a reference tool for specific library and information purposes. Students will be introduced to the concepts and skills required for effective retrieval of the wide variety of information resources available through the Internet (e.g. directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, library catalogs, government information resources, newspapers, international documents, and literature on the various academic disciplines). The use of Internet resources in support of library technical services, conservation, and other library support operations will also be examined. There will be ample opportunity for students to explore the information superhighway independently, and discover the best Web sites for their own area of specialisation. They will also learn to create their own home pages. For this purpose, there will be a workshop on Web publishing in which students will be introduced to the basics of HTML and Web authoring tools. The introduction of the Internet into library services has a significant impact on the way librarians fulfil their role and mission. What is the role of the librarian in an age of end-user access to information? This fundamental issue, together with other political and economic problems relating to the growth of the Internet, (such as copyright and intellectual property rights, freedom of access to information, data protection, charging, and data security) will constitute an important strand of discussion running throughout the course. The course is designed for Library and Information Science faculty and library practitioners involved in the use of electronic resources.