The role of ICT in building communities and social capital: a discussion paper

Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, January 2005

A response by the Australian Library and Information Association

Introduction

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the discussion paper: The role of ICT in building communities and social capital.

ALIA is the national professional organisation for the Australian library and information services sector and represents 5000 individual members, 1000 institutional members and the interests of over 10.7 million library users.

This brief response comments on some of the discussion points in the paper. It does not address the discussion of the concepts of community building and social capital. Rather, ALIA's response focuses on the current and potential roles of libraries, mainly public library services:

• to contribute to community building
• to enhance the effectiveness of ICT in community building
• to assist government to deliver its policy objectives

Trust, libraries and community building

How can trust be developed and maintained in relation to online engagement with business, government and organisations?

The need for trust is a consistent characteristic throughout the discussion paper - as expressed in trust in the group and its members, the integrity of the community and social networks, in the information shared and available, and in the reliability of ICT and safety of the internet.

The Australian public library network offers a further dimension to trust to those explored in the paper.

Libraries are an integral part of communities. They provide an interface in many circumstances - such as geographic, for communities of interest, and communities of knowledge. They provide a nation-wide infrastructure. Public libraries are trusted and highly appreciated by their users and the wider community. The recently released report Libraries building communities is a major research project of the Library Board of Victoria and the Victorian public library network. The findings encompass the key concepts around community building, community views on how public libraries add value to the community, user profiles, and thirty examples of innovative programs and services in Victoria's public libraries. The data also outline the crucial role public libraries play in overcoming the 'digital divide', creating well-informed communities, enhancing learning and literacy skills, and building social capital.

Trust in the use of ICT is built in public libraries with their clear internet usage policies, staff skills in training and technical support, and perception of being a 'safe' environment physically and virtually. At the organisational level there are physical and ICT resources, information resources, ICT expertise, recognised community services, and sustainability of people and technical resources. The discussion paper acknowledges 'that bridging and linking capital can produce positive or negative effects [and] that the presence of organisational support and professional practitioners is more likely to channel the development of social capital in a positive direction' (p55).

The values of the library and information sector (expressed succinctly in ALIA's core values statement to which library and information professionals are committed create libraries as safe, non-discriminating and neutral meeting places; they are free to use and accessible; they offer materials that represent all points of view and diverse services to meet their community needs.

ICT, libraries and community building

What evidence is there that ICT can and is both supplementing and transforming social capital?

ALIA supports the conclusions of the discussion paper that ICT supplements social capital and that through access to and effective use of ICT individuals and communities have greater opportunities for engagement with others, for broadening understanding and participation leading to improved social and economic outcomes.

ALIA agrees that trust in the technology and service and information providers and the sustainability of services is critical to effective access to and use of ICT. The discussion paper states that in building communities and social capital 'The availability, capacity, reliability and effective use of bandwidth connectivity - together with attention to issues of online trust and confidence - will determine the quality and frequency of online interactions' (p2). Further, the Australian government's Strategic framework for the information economy (1999) in discussing the direct role online technologies can have in enhancing community well-being states that existing social infrastructure such as public libraries, can be strengthened and this view is reinforced in the updated document Australia's strategic framework for the information economy 2004-2006 (p5). ALIA made these points in its presentation to the National Broadband Strategy Implementation Group meeting on 23 February 2005, and there is supporting evidence in the various research reports cited below. The association strongly supports the proposal in the paper that 'Further investigation of the impact of broadband on community development could be a valuable next step.' (p54) and proposes that the role of public libraries and access to publicly available information be included in any investigation.

Sustainability of ICT access centres is critical for their value to their communities to be realised and government objectives met. Many centres are vulnerable because of their dependence on volunteer effort and on project-based funding. The association endorses the finding of the discussion paper that the value of online access centres is increased through links and networks locally and regionally. One very positive way to do this is through working with public library networks to access and build on existing infrastructure. Public library networks can contribute local knowledge, expertise and community trust to assist in assessing community needs, infrastructure and opportunities.

A recent example of the co-location of a library service and learning and technology centre is the new Lithgow Regional Library, opened by the NSW Premier the Hon Bob Carr, in February 2005. A further example is the Glenelg Regional Library Corporation's Portland Library televillage project with its DiscoverITCentre incorporating library services, telecentre and the technology-focused business incubation units. (p21 libraries building communities). These are good examples to support the point made in the discussion paper with its examples that 'the value of these online access centres increased dramatically through their links to other centres, local organisations and businesses' (p39). All emphasise the need to become part of the local community infrastructure.

A major new impact study shows how public libraries in the UK are being transformed and revitalised by the introduction of computers. An independent evaluation reveals the scale of the transformation of library services as a result of the people's network, a 120 million pound UK lottery-funded project to connect 4200 public libraries to the internet. The evaluation is based on 16 detailed case studies. It suggests that users are overwhelmingly positive about internet and computer access in libraries. By complementing traditional services with new technologies public libraries are providing new routes to knowledge and information.

What is the role of government (if any) in the ways that the internet is being used to build and develop social networks?

What factors might restrict the potential of ICT to supplement and transform social capital?

What is the role of government (if any) in supporting the potential of ICT to supplement and transform social capital?

Programs such as 'Networking the nation' have benefited communities and public libraries in rural and regional areas. However, the report by the Australian Local Government Association, DCITA, and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation highlighted the need for continued government assistance to avoid a digital divide disadvantaging councils, businesses and individuals in regional areas. Of 200 councils surveyed nationally all councils had internet access, with 89 per cent of urban councils on broadband compared to 59 per cent in rural areas. Altogether 68 per cent of councils were on broadband and 32 per cent on dial up access.

As a major player in Australia in delivering access to ICT and electronic information, including building content, public libraries are strategically placed to assist in achieving policy objectives, for example, to assist in achieving the National Broadband Strategy's stated outcome of 'ensuring that all Australians have fair and reasonable access to broadband and its benefits, particularly with regards to price and location barriers'. However, the demand for ICT resources in most locations still exceeds supply.

Important roles for government include:

• Ongoing research and analysis;
• Delivering programs and initiatives that encourage use of existing infrastructures and expertise, such as the public library network, to promote sustainability;
• Improving access to e-government services and publications through developing the capacity of public libraries as an intermediary in the delivery of e-government services, and resolving the existing barriers to good access to electronic government publications. This will require improved broadband capacity.
• Improving broadband capacity, access and affordability.

About the library sector

The Australian library and information services sector operates in the local, state, territory and federal government, school, TAFE, tertiary, research, health, and business sectors.

• There are over 1700 public libraries across Australia with over half the population as registered users.
• Libraries are attended more frequently and by more people than other cultural and sporting venues. [ABS 4172.0 2004] In 2002 6.1 million people attended a public, state or National library; with 99.4 million visits in 1999-2000.
• The introduction of internet access services in public libraries has seen an increase in attendance and library use.
• Even with the increase in home access to the internet and use of broadband the percentage of people who nominate libraries as an internet access point has remained constant at around 7per cent. (ABS)
• Libraries have ongoing revenue streams, unlike many access centres and commercial providers set up under specific government programs.
• Qualified and experienced staff delivers training and assistance to users in accessing electronic information.
• Public libraries have acceptable use policies in place.

[We note that a more recent ABS public library survey is due for release and that the above figures may change.]

Recent research reports

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the State Library of NSW (SLNSW) (2000) A safe place to go: libraries and social capital, UTS and SLNSW (http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/pls/publications/pdf/safe_place.pdf [337KB pdf]).

State Library of Victoria (SLV) (2005) Libraries building communities: the vital contribution of Victoria's public libraries - a research report for the Library Board of Victoria and the Victorian public library network, SLV

State Library of NSW (2005) Public libraries and e-government (summary) (The full report will be available May 2005)

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Public libraries Australia, 1999-2000. (Cat. No.8561.0, 2001) (ABS, Public libraries 2003-2004 is due for release May 2005)

Smith, K and Usherwood, B. (2004) 'The political perception of the public library: the Australian view'. ALIA 2004 conference proceedings. http://conferences.alia.org.au/alia2004/pdfs/smith.k.paper.pdf. [128KB pdf]

Tavistock Institute (2004) Books and bytes: new service paradigms for the 21st century library, and evaluation of the People's Network and ICT training for public library staff programme. Big lottery fund http://www.mla.gov.uk/documents/pn_evaluation_full.pdf [732KB pdf].

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) (2004) Broadband survey of local government: RIRDC and ALGA survey of broadband adoption by agriculture and local government, ALGA http://www.lgconnect.gov.au/index.php?nIdNode=585.

State Library of NSW Public Library Network Research Program. Public libraries and sustainable communities, research project. A discussion paper and project plan for this research project, to be conducted in 2005 are available (http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/pln/projects.cfm)

Attachment 1

Australian Library and Information Association - Core Values statement

A thriving culture, economy, and democracy require the free flow of information and ideas.

Fundamental to that free flow of information and ideas is Australia's library and information services. They are a legacy to each generation, conveying the knowledge of the past and the promise of the future.

Library and information services professionals therefore commit themselves to the following core values of their profession:

1. Promotion of the free flow of information and ideas through open access to recorded knowledge, information, and creative works.
   We assert that this access across time and across cultures is fundamental to a thriving culture, economy and democracy.
   
2. Connection of people to ideas.
   We guide, inform and educate the seeker in defining and refining the search, and foster intellectual freedom and all forms of communication.
   
3. Commitment to literacy, information literacy and learning.
   We enable independent and formal lifelong learning by providing resources and expertise to meet the needs of learners, and of the human spirit.
   
4. Respect for the diversity and individuality of all people.
   We accept each request without bias and in confidence, and strive to meet it with all our resources and expertise.
   
5. Preservation of the human record.
   We seek to preserve the cultural memory, knowledge and evolved wisdom of humankind, to explain the past, illuminate the present and inform the future.
   
6. Excellence in professional service to our communities.
   We strive for integrity, competence, personal growth, and service to our profession and to our communities.
   
7. Partnerships to advance these values.
   We advocate co-operation between all library and information services, and with related agencies, for the private and public good.