On-line information services in public libraries are increasingly common. Two research projects funded by the British Library are described. The BIROS project in Lancashire County Library involved the development of the service and an evaluation of its impact. The other project, involving four public libraries, resulted in the production of guidelines. Information on use and impact is given. Issues raised by the projects, such as charging policies, are briefly discussed.
References
1.
Convey, J., 'On-line services in a public library', in [Proceedings of the] Third International On-line Information Meeting. London. December 1979, Oxford Learned Information, 1979, 99-107. Oulton, A.J., and Pearce, A., On-line experiments in public libraries (BL R&D Report 5532), London, British Library, 1980. Oulton, A.J., and Pearce, A., The on-line public library, to be published.
2.
Keenan, Stella, How to go on-line: guidelines for the establishment of on-line services in public libraries (BL R&D Report 5533), London, British Library, 1980.
3.
Summit, R.K., and Firschein, O., Investigation of the public library as a linking agent to major scientific, educational, social and environmental data bases: final report, 3 vols, Palo Alto, California, Lockheed Research Laboratory, 1977.
4.
Holmes, P.L., On-line information retrieval: an introduction and guide to the British Library's short-term experimental information network project (BL R&D Reports 5360 and 5397), London, British Library , vol. 1 1977, vol. 2 1978.
5.
Siddall, P.M., The on-line information retrieval service at Birmingham Public Libraries: a report on its establishment and operation (BL R&D Report 5555), London, British Library, 1980. Leicestershire Libraries and Information Service: on-line project November 1978-March 1980 (BL R&D Report 5556), London, British Library, 1980. On-line terminals in public libraries: British Library project: report by Liverpool City Libraries (BL R&D Report 5560), London, British Library, 1980. Sheffield City Libraries On-line Project, the first year 1979-80 (BL R&D Report 5561), London, British Library, 1980.
6.
Keenan, S., et al., On-line information in public libraries: a review of British Library-funded research (in preparation).
7.
Oulton, A.J., 'Factors affecting end-user charges for on-line bibliographic information retrieval services in public libraries', in [Proceedings of the] Third International On-line Information Meeting. London. December 1979, Oxford Learned Information, 1979 , 35-44.
