Subject: Telecenters and Libraries
From: Steve Cisler 
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Here's a short essay I wrote for the International Federation of Library
Associations conference later this month. 

-Steve Cisler


Telecenters and Libraries: New Technologies and New Partnerships

By Steve Cisler August 4, 1998

Written for discussion and dissemination at the annual IFLA conference in
Amsterdam, Holland, August 1998.  Permission to reproduce or quote is
granted for educational, non-profit community and library organizations.

Comments and inquiries to  or 4415 Tilbury Drive, San
Jose, California 95130 USA.  1-408-379-9076
<http://home.inreach.com/cisler/telecenter.htm80298/info7_21621_S1_nof>

This paper introduces the concept of telecenters, directs the reader to
some manuals and guidelines, as well as a number of projects around the
world; explains why libraries can help make these projects a success and
why libraries should consider extending their role to include the
telecenter functions. 

Public Access to Computers and Information Technology

Telecenters, telecentres, telecottages, community technology centers,
networked learning centers, multipurpose community telecentres, digital
clubhouses, cabinas publicas, espaces numerises, telestugen, and learning
access places are some of the names that are used for places that provide
a range of activities and services that include access to information and
communications technology for individual, social, and economic
development. There is no agreed upon definition, except that each center
has a physical space and some information technology for public use. There
were projects in the late 1960s and early 1970s to allow public access to
computers, but the first telecenter was established in Velmdalen, Sweden,
in mid-1980s. They have spread all over the world. Not everyone is going
to have a phone or computer in their home. Telecenters help meet the goal
of 'universal access' by providing community-based access to this
technology. Some would say that the thousands of small offices that
provide phone and fax service in Senegal are telecenters. Some, especially
in Europe and Australia, are associated with telework and telecommuting
projects. However, for the purpose of this paper, I am limiting my
definition to those sites that provide at least public Internet access in
addition to telephone and fax services. The range of technology provided
will change depending on the needs and capabilities of the communities
served. Some centers also include satellite links, video production
equipment, digital photography services, computer repair and distribution
services, rental of office space, and provision of Internet services to
off-site users. Most of the centers are somewhat more modest than that,
but it is crucial to remember that even the most connected, the most wired
cities and regions such Silicon Valley California and Parthenay, France
have these centers. 

International development agencies as well as organizations such as UNESCO
and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) have, in the past two
years, stepped up their activities to establish telecenters in many
countries around the world. In many places, libraries have no role in the
deployment or maintenance of these centers. I believe, based on experience
in the U.S., that the lack of involvement by libraries is a mistake. The
libraries lose the ability to strengthen ties with other groups in the
community as well as donors, telecommunications companies, and other
sectors of government. National libraries, as well as IFLA, need to
partner with some of the national, regional and international players to
share our own skills and commitment to service that have been the hallmark
of our profession, long before there were computers, or even telephones.
Without that commitment to service, the telecenters suffer. 

The successful telecenters include a strong training program, secure and
well-maintained equipment and links, a business plan that makes the center
sustainable, and a sense that the center is a place that community members
want to use and feel pride that it is in their town or neighborhood.
Having strong community involvement can help with the other points because
resources from both inside and outside the community will be more readily
available. 

This description does not differ from many a good library technology
project, and indeed, some libraries are providing much the same kind of
services as are the telecenters. In the United States, the Community
Technology Center Network, which is comprised of 250 grass roots
organizations, has 10 library sites as members. Other organizations include
boys and girls clubs, community centers, churches, some schools that are
opening their doors to the public after the children are finished for the
day.  For exploration of web resources, the CTCNet web site is a very good
starting point. It lists the members, a complete setup manual in English,
and includes addresses for online discussions of these issues.

Examples of Telecenter Projects

Here are a few examples of different public access projects in various
countries.

The Digital Clubhouse located in a shopping center in Sunnyvale,
California, provides free training, access to the Internet, and courses on
digital storytelling, using several dozen high end Macintosh and PC
workstations. All of these have a fast connection to the Internet. They
are working on some projects with the local public library, but most of
their activity involves community organizations, especially those that
would have trouble getting online or learning the advanced skills provided
by the Clubhouse. Its strengths are the training staff, the strong
emphasis on people meeting people at the center, and the interest taken by
the high tech business community in Silicon Valley. This non-profit
franchise model is being replicated in other U.S. states (Maryland and New
York), and other countries have expressed interest in setting up their
own. 

Training Center, Wa, Ghana.  This is a town of 80,000 and only fifty
computers. It is 17 hours by bus from Accra, the capital. The telecomms
costs are high within Ghana, and the phone line to the capital is not
reliable. Electricity is available most of the day. With a Small Project
Assistance Grant, Tod Bruning, a Peace Corps volunteer, established a
small center with three computers, modem, and Internet access. Students
may take courses for about $50 each, but this is much less expensive than
commercial classes, and most students can double their pay from the skills
they learn, even though the demand for Internet services is not high in
Wa. 

Dover, Tasmania, is the southernmost town in Australia. This seaside town
of 500 has one of the most stable telecentres in the Australian Rural
Telecentre Association.  Dover Community Telecentre Inc. provides desktop
publishing services, hotel and inn bookings, information on local crafts,
art, and gourmet foods, as well as e-mail and fax services for visitors. 

In Parthenay, France, the city is setting up seven digital spaces. The
first is in the Armand Jubien Social Centre, and besides providing access
to new media services, it will be a place for people to meet and exchange
ideas about the technologies. This is supported by online discussions
using electronic bulletin boards as well as free Internet access for the
citizens. 

UNESCO and the ITU are backing rural multipurpose community telecentre
(MCP) projects in Mozambique, Mali, Suriname, Honduras, Uganda, and South
Africa, and other countries may be added. These are meant to be
self-sustaining financially. The Peruvian Scientific Network (RCP) has set
up 24 cabinas publicas in towns around the country for public access, and
the city of Asuncion, Paraguay is setting up seven, one in each
neighborhood in the capital. 


Industry Canada's Community Access Program (CAP), has funded more than
2200 rural systems, many of which are located in public libraries. The
goal is to make Canada the most wired nation in the world by the early
part of the next century. The current budget has money to establish 5000
urban centers as well. The Canadians are also helping other countries set
up Multipurpose Community Telecentres and have provided a guide for the
African projects. 

Library Involvement

For a variety of reasons, many of these projects are being planned without
involving librarians at the local or national level. Some libraries are
occupied with providing traditional services with meager budgets and have
decided that technology access is a lower priority than reading and
literacy programs. Even those libraries that chose not to participate now
should be aware of the telecenter projects underway. The international,
national, and local efforts provide a library with an opportunity to offer
assistance to the agencies planning the centers and perhaps to host such a
center. However, the telecenters are being built, with or without our
participation. 

The process of adding telecenter functions to a public library can be
stimulating and very disruptive. The staff has to see the value in the
changes, have adequate training, and be prepared for new kinds of library
users or they will not be able to provide the kind of service that will
attract a steady stream of people. Some library users will welcome the new
services; others may resent the changes. Many Internet users want to use
the technology for communications rather than purely for information
access. Some libraries in the United States have already decided that they
are only in the information business and prohibit library users from
accessing any Internet communications services. Others offer their own
communications services and training to the public. Preventing the use of
email and online discussions in public access points is the 1990's
equivalent of saying sssshhhh! to our customers. 

What can IFLA do? To continue this conversation, I recommend that a
program during the 1999 conference in Bangkok be hosted for libraries that
are working with telecenter planning teams in different countries.
Organizing the program will allow librarians to discover who is already
involved and begin to share information with others. Please contact me if
this interests you. 


World Wide Web resources for projects mentioned in this paper

Cabinas publicas (Peru)  Community
Access Program (Canada)  Community Technology Center Network
(CTCNet)  Digital Clubhouse, Sunnyvale Mall, Sunnyvale,
California  Digital Spaces (espaces numerises)
Parthenay, France. 
Dover Community Telecentre, Inc. (Australia)
 and the Australian Rural Telecentre
Association.  'If you Have a Lemon, Make Lemonade: A
Guide to the Start-up of the African Multipurpose Community Telecentre
Pilot Projects'. Prepared by Richard Fuchs for the (Canadian)
International Development Research Centre. 1997.
 'Telecottages in Estonia'
by Tonu Otsason.  Training
Center, Wa, Ghana.   Tod
Bruning: uwca@ighmail.com 'Universal access through Multipurpose Community
Telecentres - a business case?' by Johan
Ernberg.