Going Local: The Future of the Internet F Contributed by Richard Truxall, The Library Network F Community Information Toolkit F F Copyright © 1999, Library of Michigan Foundation Re-use of these materials for non-profit training purposes is allowed without further permission, provided this notice is prominently displayed

Going Local: The Future of the Internet Richard Truxall The Library Network The Michigan Electronic Library

What We’ll Talk About F Brief Overview of the Internet F Background on Community Networks F Examples of Current Online Communities F Where/How to start your project F Dual Roles of an Info Creator F Next Steps to Take

Staggering Internet Statistics F Less than One Million Users F Million Internet users F 30 Million persons used the Internet in the past 24 hours * F 1.5 Million Internet users in Michigan * F And Growing... * from Nielsen Media Research

The Need to be Local Global information is great, but... People care about their communities

Background on Community Information Systems F Computer based information systems F The goal: bring local communities and their information together F Initiatives worldwide - around the corner

The First Step: Free-Nets F FreeNet’s - non-profit, volunteer organizations –Early 1990’s –First in Cleveland, Hartland (Illinois), Buffalo, then all over the country –Information Services – / Communication Services –Offering Free Dial-Up Access from home

Next Step: Community Networks F Ease of Internet access changed the Free-Nets to Information Based Initiatives F Often sponsored or non-profit, but fee based organizations F Libraries = Access Points F Information Equity is always key

The Importance of the Online Community F Not everyone is 9-5 F Online Community Information is a magnet F Users are local residents...stakeholders F It’s their community after all! (and yours)

Community Information Online For an overview of the wide range of information being put online, see a list compiled by The Community Connector from the University of Michigan at:

Community Information Online F Local Government Information City of St. Paul, Minnesota F Health and Human Services Charlotte’s Web, North Carolina healthindex.html

The Current State of Community Information F Community Networks tend to be lists –Services provided –Contact information –Event calendars F Separate, isolated initiatives within a community

Where to Start? F Key Questions: –What is your organization’s goal? –How can your Web presence help that goal? –What results/expectations do you have about your online information? –Who is your audience?

As a Creator, You Have (at least) Two Hats F Think like an user F Think like an insider

Thinking Like a User Play with Web Sites, All Kinds of Web Sites, but… Pay Attention! To the content To the organization

Thinking Like a User F Did you find what you were looking for? F Did you get lost? Why? Why Not? F What doesn’t work well? F What does work well? (This is the difficult question)

Sites to Explore and Question F City of Eugene Oregon F St. Paul Minnesota F San Francisco Bay Area Transit Information

Sites to Explore and Question F Port Macquire Historical Society and Museum pmmuseum/pmmuseum.html F Antler River Historical Society arhs/home.htm

Sites to Explore and Question F Greater Flint Arts Council F Howell High School

As You Create your site… take time to Think Like a (New) User

Thinking Like an Insider F How will your organization get info online? F Who is currently responsible for publishing? Can you involve them? F Who is ultimately responsible for online content? (Who is the Project Manager?) F Organize your organization first!

No Vacuuming! F The Big Flaw: Working without others F Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate! F Before, During and After...share with your co-workers… get their opinions! F Talk to the other online creators around you

The Future of Community Information F Content Integration –Create useful links to disparate information and organizations F What is best for the user? F Keeping in touch with each other is the starting point...

The Next Steps F Get ! F Talk to your organization members F Gather Your Content (electronic if possible!) F How will you layout your information (begin by example) F Begin to plan your ongoing maintenance...

Sites Worth Visiting F The Michigan Electronic Library F Genesee Free-Net, Genesee County, MI F La Plaza Telecommunity - Taos, NM F Charlotte’s Web - Charlotte, NC

Sites Worth Visiting F The American Memory Project F Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network, Austin, TX F Three-Rivers Free-Net, Pittsburgh, PA