Introduction

Public libraries are not an end in themselves   they are a player in their local authority s

agenda. Public libraries must understand that they are a means for politicians and

administrators to promote their vision of local government. A high performance public

library system can assist social, economic and technological agendas. 

The focus of this study is on the contribution public libraries can make to the 

development of e government services as provided by national and local governments.

The study is important because, as other sectors develop their e business functions in a 

corporate context, public libraries also have to address the same issues. These issues

include how to deliver services electronically and how to help libraries deliver the 

services of the parent organisation, whether it is a town, city, county, state, or national

government.

There are two major roles that public libraries play in the delivery of e government.

The first, information access, involves working in partnership with other areas of the

organisation or other tiers of government to deliver and distribute information personal 

ly, seamlessly, wherever and whenever it is desired. The second, bridging the digital divide,

is achieved by providing access to information, developing training programmes in the

community, ensuring that all people (including the disabled) have access to information,

and by understanding the impact of new technologies on the lives of people.

This takes place within the context of a rapidly changing e world. 

  By 2006, 90 percent of new jobs in the UK will require basic IT and keyboard skills.

  By 2004, 70 percent of the European Union's workforce will be Internet users, com 

pared to 28 percent at the end of 1999 (ILO).

  E commerce in Europe will grow from $17 billion at the end of 1999 to $360 billion

by 2003. 

  At present the number of Internet users doubles every 100 days. 

Underlying this is the democratic context in which public libraries exist. As public 

institutions, they have always been citadels of information, where free and unfettered

access to ideas and information has been a key purpose of service provision. Public

libraries are the most used public service, the most accessible, and the most inclusive for

all sectors of the population, with a wide range of IT skills held by library staff. These

ingredients offer a strong argument for  key player  status for public libraries in the

development of e government, both on the front line and in the back office.

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