How Public Libraries Can Improve Canada's Digital Advantage
Submitted by Ottawa Public Library 2010-07-12 16:04:44 EDT
Theme(s): Building Digital Skills
Summary
Within the context of the five discussion themes, the Ottawa Public Library focuses its submission on the elements of innovation and access, copyright, digital infrastructure and skills development. It identifies where action is required to better enable Canadian urban public libraries to help improve Canada's digital advantage. In communities across the country, public libraries have become essential digital hubs for Canadians. Stronger, broadband networks are required. Copyright legislation must be better balanced and address the issue of digital locks. Digitization of heritage and tourism material must be enabled. The Community Access Program (CAP) must be continued and strengthened. The Government of Canada should leverage the network of public libraries to ensure a more robust availability of digital literacy skills development programs in the community. Content creation must be encouraged and enabled.
Submission
July 12, 2010
Introduction
As the Chair of the Ottawa Public Library Board, I am pleased to make a submission on the development of Canada's Digital Economic Strategy from the perspective of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL).
The Ottawa Public Library/Bibliothèque publique d'Ottawa is Canada's largest and busiest bilingual public library. In 2009, residents and visitors made more than 27 million uses of OPL's library services and resources both in person at our thirty three branches, and electronically through our virtual service channels including our website and online resources. No other cultural, educational, entertainment or athletic organization in our city can make that claim.
Use included more than 5 million physical visits and more than 6 million electronic visits, almost 11 million loans and almost a million public workstation sessions. Those 5 million+ visitors came to their libraries for free access to books, journals, research materials, information assistance from trained librarians, early literacy programs, English as a second language assistance, newcomer support, job search assistance, best sellers in multiple formats (print, audio, downloadable and e–books), movies, author events, book clubs, story times, summer reading programs, financial literacy programs, computer skills programs, genealogy searches or simply to think, learn, discover or dream. All of our branches and our bookmobiles provide wireless internet access. Many library programs and services are dependent on access to digital content and a robust broadband network.
The Ottawa Public Library shares a range of concerns about the challenge of improving Canada's digital advantage with our sister organizations including the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC/CBUC), the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the Canadian Library Association (CLA) and the Media Awareness Network of Canada. We are aware that each of these organizations is making a submission to this consultation.
The Ottawa Public Library applauds the Government of Canada for initiating this consultation. Given the short time period to respond, we will limit our response to the role that we believe large urban public libraries, like the Ottawa Public Library, can play in improving Canada's digital advantage. We will also identify what strategies must be initiated or strengthened for the Government of Canada to effectively leverage the network of urban public libraries across the country.
The OPL's submission will focus on:
- Innovation and access
- Copyright
- Digital Infrastructure
- Skills Development
Innovation and Access
Public libraries are one of the best investments that a municipality can make of its tax dollars. The wiring of public libraries in the last 15 years has transformed one of Canada's most established and heavily used community resources into a critical digital hub where citizens can equip themselves to compete more effectively for jobs, connect with each other and the world, improve their health, find key government information and services and manage their finances etc. Computer and internet access allow librarians to go beyond the library stacks to connect patrons to a vast range of resources, services and tools available online.
In a world that is increasingly digital, the public library is one of the widest bridges to the internet, computers, and increasingly digital creation. This bridge is not only for those who cannot afford their own connections, but for those who find the library is an easier, faster, friendlier or more effective way to use these tools. Internet access is now one of the most sought after public library services and it is used by nearly half of all visitors. (Opportunity for All, 1–11)
Ubiquitous, reliable, broadband internet access is essential for both the private and public sectors to conduct business and provide services online. For the Ottawa Public Library this means (in part) providing users with speedy access to digital content housed both online or anywhere in the world. It means streamlining operations and providing self–serve options through the use of RFID technology. It means reducing costs and improving customer service through the use of e–commerce. It means the continued use and strengthened provision of free and wireless public internet access and the opportunity for users of all ages to become engaged in content creation.
Opportunity for All a new study on the public benefits from internet access at U.S. public libraries documents the central role modern public libraries play in a digital society. The internet has become an important community resource. Libraries offer a technological lifeline to children and families in need. People of all ages, incomes, races and levels of education go to the library for internet access whether they have a connection at home or not. Technology draws teens to the safe, nurturing environment of the library. Overall the study shows that people use library computers to perform both life changing and routine tasks. Additionally, people use computers to help others in their communities. Urban public libraries provide access to government agencies that increasingly offer many forms and services online. Library staff enhance the computing and internet experience. Over two–thirds of the people who use libraries received help from library staff or volunteers on computer or wireless network issues. Library users reported using computers and the Internet to address a wide range of basic needs: the four most common were social connections, education, employment and health. (Opportunity for All, 1–11)
Two important and growing user groups in many large Canadian public libraries are urban Aboriginals who have left their First Nations communities either temporarily or permanently, and newcomers to Canada. For both groups and many others, the public library can and does provide important support for accessing skills and resources to better able them to function in a digital world.
The digital content advantage also includes the strengthened access to and accelerated creation of digitized Canadian heritage and tourism documentation. Once digitized and appropriately described, tagged and placed online, this information can be more easily found and used by researchers, teachers, students, writers, film–makers, authors etc. This will do much to increase knowledge about Canada, enhance national pride, support expanded tourism and facilitate creation of cultural products in various forms. Public libraries play a continuing role in both the creation of and access to this material.
Finally, the Ottawa Public Library encourages the development of standards and policies at national and international levels to build support for access and resources for persons living with disabilities. Standards and policies must address the production process from beginning to end. In particular, the government should confirm long term support for IELA–the Initiative for Equitable Library Access being led by Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
The role of government must be to provide a robust public digital infrastructure to support Canada's national development. Assuring and building the basics will mean that any Canadian will have the ability to move from reality to digital wherever they live, work, create or play.
Copyright
The Ottawa Public Library supports the Canadian Library Association's initial analysis of Bill C–32. We are concerned that the bill as written is not as balanced as it could be and that while the bill gives users some new rights, the heart of copyright's balance as well as the new rights are tempered by the over–reach of digital locks.
Digital Infrastructure
Large urban public libraries and their users depend upon wide bandwidth networks that are fast, dependable and secure. The amount of digital content that must be moved in our libraries is increasing at an alarming rate. Customer network use at our branches and bookmobile more and more frequently surpass our bandwidth allocation. We believe that setting performance ceilings is not the right approach: government actions and policies at all levels supporting a new digital economic strategy should simply strive for unlimited bandwidth supporting instantaneous access for all Canadians. Within the Ottawa metropolitan boundary there are rural areas that do not yet have high quality network access. Finally, the network infrastructure (including bandwidth, switches and other network equipment) upon which this content is moved must be constantly upgraded to the latest standards.
As Canada, including all levels of government, educational institutions and businesses, seeks to adopt more digital solutions, more Canadians will turn to public libraries for assistance. Libraries with their stable organizational infrastructure offer direction, assistance and access to the technologies that Canadians require for learning and living. This includes access to such key areas as information for health, the justice system, education, employment and a wide range of government information. It is rare that Canadians who most need this access have sufficient technology and/or bandwidth at home.
Digital Skills Development
The Ottawa Public Library strongly urges the Government of Canada to increase its support for basic literacy and numeracy in Canada. Canada's public library network plays a major and growing role in the acquisition of both general and digital literacy skills. For many, the local public library provides the only effective computer and Internet access individuals have; library staff provide a wide and growing range of instruction on computer use, online navigation, resource discovery and evaluation of information.
We believe that the most critical challenges for skills development in a digital economy is the full inclusion of digital skills and literacy programs in both formal and informal education streams and sectors. Of particular importance is the removal of structural and social barriers to employment for skilled immigrants by increasing opportunities for developing and using ICT skills. Many public libraries are already working closely with the department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada as well as local settlement agencies to provide newcomer orientation and integration programs. ICT training should be a key part of these programs.
The Ottawa Public Library recommends that Canada's new digital strategy include the Government of Canada working systematically with the public library community, to ensure that digital skills are taught to and practised by citizens and residents of all ages and extended into all facets of life. This should include the development of digital creation labs to support life–long learning, exploration, resource discovery, the exchange of ideas and community engagement in Canada's digital future. A wonderful example of this is the Chicago Public Library's YOUmedia digital space for teens. This space is heavily used by teens and has been hailed as a groundbreaking learning space that combines books and traditional library collections, digital media, mentors and librarians. YOUmedia fosters civic engagement, creativity, reading, writing and collaborative learning by teens — and it takes place in a public library — not a school.
This work should be supported by a significant expansion of the CAP (Community Access Program) particularly for urban public libraries.
Thank you once again for providing the Ottawa Public Library with the opportunity to contribute to the development of Canada's Digital Economic Strategy.
Submitted by:
Jan Harder, Chair
Ottawa Public Library Board,
and
Councillor, Council of the City of Ottawa 2001 to present
President, Canadian Library Trustees Association (2008–2011)
Urban Libraries Council (USA), Member of Executive Board (2009–2011)
Resources
Canadian Urban Libraries Council website
Chicago Public Library YOUmedia Program
Media Awareness Network (Canada) website
Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Public Libraries. The U.S. Impact Study: a research initiative impact of free access to computers and the Internet in Public Libraries. Institute of Museum and Library Services (U.S.), 2010.
Urban Libraries Council website
