The ACT Library and Information Service comprises nine branches. David Clark is

the Manager of Finance and Specifications, the purchaser for library services. The

library offers a number of services online including the library catalogue, reservations,

renewals, payment of library charges, and an e mail reference service, rEquest. The

library has been quite involved in the development of e government in the ACT. As well

as getting as many of their transactions online as possible, they have been particularly

instrumental in furthering the government s digital divide agenda.

The ACT has the highest rate of home computer usage and Internet access in Australia

  68 percent of ACT households have home computer ownership and 39 percent of ACT

households have home Internet access.

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The ACT government established a special task

force in January 2001 to investigate how best to bridge the digital divide in the ACT. The

Digital Divide Network was established to promote and develop digital divide initiatives

by community groups, business, the IT industry and the education sectors in the ACT.

The ACT government has strongly promoted the ACT as the leader in information

technology for both the public and privates sectors by 2001. This includes most ACT

government services being delivered online by 2001.

Existing ACT government initiatives, which have directly assisted with bridging the 

digital divide, include: 

  IT and Internet access in ACT government public libraries,

  Austouch public kiosks (two of which are located outside libraries),

  Young people's IT skills.

A major new initiative, Canberra Connect, commenced operation on 1 March 2001.

This initiative is aimed at improving access to and consistency of government services

through a number of channels including shop fronts, online and by phone. Canberra

Connect has brought all government transactions together, and people can even pay

their library charges there. 

A broadband cable service, TransACT is currently being launched, with the potential

to substantially improve the delivery of IT and communications services to 100,000

Canberra households and 14,000 businesses.

The ACT government is committed to ensuring universal access by the public to 

government service delivery arrangements, primarily through their library service, 

Canberra Connect and Austouch. However it also recognises there are special needs

over and above those of the general community for some of the digital divide target

groups. Solutions for people with disabilities need to be flexible and adaptable.

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