Europe’s network of excellence for public libraries, museums and archives at local level Rob Davies, MDR Partners, Project Manager

PULMAN: objectives and scope Strengthen performance and help achieve potential of public libraries in new economic, social and cultural roles Spread strategic initiatives across the whole of Europe Knowledge sharing, exchange of experience and extension of good practice – policy makers – practitoners Support for innovative and appropriate new services. Contribution to e-Europe: can we measure? Cross sectoral links: cultural institutions at local level Future agenda Set up/identify a sustainable European agency for public libraries ?

…and by April 2003? Network of Excellence - public libraries, local public cultural organizations, technical partners, associations - across Europe Stronger links between public libraries, museums and archives : agenda for co-operation. International Co-operation agenda in the pipeline. Rich situational overview and knowledge covering 26 countries. High-impact events : workshops, conferences at national and European level Manifesto : forecasting the role, research and development needs of local public cultural institutions in the years to come. Digital Guidelines Manuals : state of the art embodiments of good practice in innovative public library services – updating? Technology Watch – will help in updating DGM PULMAN-Web gateway and dissemination service: key access point and reference tool for professionals and policy makers. Network of in-service training centres for public library managers Structured access to professional distance learning materials

Approach to the work Approach to the work Network of Excellence Influence policy makers AND practitioners Inclusive – country support groups Cross-sectoral [archives and museums] Phase 1 – collect ammunition (WP 1 and 2) Phase 2 – fire!

Workpackages WP1 Best Practice (social) - Helsinki WP2 Best Practice (technical) - Essex WP3 Policy support and cross-sectoral constituency development - Eblida WP4Dissemination - Oeiras [several strands] WP5 Management, co-ordination overall QA - Antwerp/ MDR

Milestone dates and key events December Draft DGM ready February 2001 Consensus building conferences on DGM October 2002 Translated DGM Sep-Nov 2002 National workshops February 2002 Policy conference April 2003 Training workshops completed

The Ammunition: Digital Guidelines Manuals (DGM) Identifying best practice right across Europe What Policies Standards/guidelines Innovative services Social and technical How Survey of existing best practice through Country Co- ordinators Literature search by Topic Co-ordinators Pulled together by Topic Co-ordinators Final editing by Workpackage Leaders [Helsinki/ Essex]

DGM (technical) Topic Co-ordinatorDGM 2.1EssexResource description, discovery and retrieval 2.2CERLIMDigitisation 2.3MDRMultimedia digital service delivery 2.4MDRApplications of newly developing technologies: 2.5Cluj/EssexDevelopments in integrated library systems 2.6CERLIM/MDRPerformance measures and evaluative tools 2.7 Essex/Aquitaine Tailoring of services; citizen interaction/ participation 2.8EblidaHandling of legal issues ( privacy, data protection, IPR) 2.9EssexTechnical responses to multi-lingual issues

DGM template 1 Guideline title 2 Scope ‘This guideline covers…..’ 3 Policy Issues - brief synopsis [500 Words] 4 State of the Art in Public Libraries [1000] 5 Technical issues [Technical Guidelines only] [1000] 6 Future Agenda [500] 7 Best Practice [variable] Introduction: criteria for inclusion Links [max 40?] – 2 line description/reasons for selection

Roles within the PULMAN Network Co-ordination team [Antwerp/MDR] 5 Workpackage Leaders 9 Management Board members 16 Topic Co-ordinators [for 21 DGM] 26 Country Co-ordinators [including 13 Partners] Country Support Groups Virtual Advisory Board

What country co-ordinators have to do Establish country support groups - activists – practitioners; public library managers; archives and museums Help the survey – identify best practice – send to Helsinki Update PubliCA country profiles Use the ammunition – lobby and disseminate at policy, practitioner and cross –sectoral levels Stimulate contributions to PULMANWeb, newsletter and dicussion list Organise translation of DGM Organise National Workshop Ensure national participation in project-level workshops and the Policy Conference