Online Action Plan

Version 1, September 2000

The aim of this document is to provide details about the activities of the National Library of Australia to meet the Prime Minister's 1997 commitment that all appropriate government services will be provided online by 2001. This is a public document and clients of the Library's services are invited to comment to the Editor or Business Owner on its content and priorities.

Editor
Judith Pearce
Director, Web Services
Ph: (02) 262621425
email: jpearce@nla.gov.au

Business owner
Warwick Cathro
Assistant Director General
Information Technology Division
Ph: (02) 262621358
email: wcathro@nla.gov.au

Date created: 2000-09-30

Scheduled for review: 2001-03-31

Summary of Initiatives

  Initiative Division Date

By 2001

Review current metadata practices to ensure they conform with the latest version of the AGLS Guidelines. Information Technology 2000 Q4
Develop a website archival strategy in accordance with NAA guidelines. Information Technology 2000 Q4
Conduct a usability review of the Library's web site. Information Technology 2000 Q4
Implement a new web statistics service for Library managers. Information Technology 2000 Q4
Automate the production of call slips. Collections Management 2000 Q4
Implement the Encoded Archival Manuscript standard for manuscript finding aids. Australian Collections and Reader Services 2000 Q4
Streamline the announcement of events by developing an events management system for the Library. Public Programs 2000 Q4
 

By 2002

Upgrade the web site's conformance to level AA of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Information Technology Division 2001 Q1
Enable library staff to manage their own online content. Information Technology Division 2001 Q1
Migrate the Interlibrary Resource Sharing Directory to the Australian Libraries Gateway. Resource Sharing Division 2001 Q1
Complete implementation of the Library's new digital services infrastructure. Information Technology Division 2001 Q2
Migrate the Corporate Mailing List to a directory-enabled database. Public Programs Division 2001 Q2
Implement a registration and persistent naming service for digital publications. Collections Management 2001 Q4
Enhance Kinetica for end user searching of the National Bibliographic Database. Resource Sharing  
 

By 2003

Merge the National CJK System into Kinetica. Resource Sharing 2002 Q2
Replace the Library's Integrated Library Management System. Collections Management 2002 Q4
 

Ongoing

Undertake further targeted digitisation of collections Australian Collections and Reader Services  
Implement priority enhancements to the Kinetica Service Resource sharing
Implement the recommendations of the E-Commerce Working Group Deputy Director General
Implement the recommendations of the Infrastructure Group Deputy Director General
Engage in at least one major collaborative project per year to improve the national information infrastructure Deputy Director General
 

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1. Overview

The National Library of Australia is a statutory authority within the Communications, Information Technology and the Arts portfolio. The Library was established as a separate entity in 1960 by the National Library Act. The Library's outcome statement in its annual Portfolio Budget Statement is that:

Australians have access, through the National Library of Australia, to a comprehensive collection of Australian library material and to international documentary resources.

The planned outputs are:

  • The Collection
  • Information Services
  • Australian Library Network Services

The Library has a range of client groups to which it targets services, but in effect its primary client group is all Australians.

The Library's Service Charter states that:

The Library’s Charter is for all Australians. We aim to serve you either directly through our research and reference resources or by means of those services we provide to other libraries. We carefully balance obligations to our primary customers - those Australians engaged in research, policy development, authorship and creative endeavour - with the expectations of the community as a whole. Similarly the needs of our current customers are balanced with an on-going concern to ensure that the nation’s library collections and services are available for future generations.

A list of the Library's current functions and services is given in Section 15 below.

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2. Key Commitments

As a Commonwealth Government agency, the Library is committed to ensuring that its services are aligned with the Commonwealth Government's strategy for online service delivery as outlined in GovernmentOnline. The Library was a foundation member of the Commonwealth Internet Reference Group established in 1994 and hosts its Internet Discussion Group. The (then) Deputy Director General of the National Library, Eric Wainwright chaired the Commonwealth Government's Information Management Steering Committee. The report of this committee, Management of Government Information as a National Strategic Resource (http://www.dcita.gov.au/ogo/imsc/imscrept.htm), published in August 1997, recommended a whole-of-government approach to managing government information.

Library staff were also members of the technical group which provided the context for the recommendation of this report leading to establishment of the Australian Government Information Locator System (now AGLS). The Library was an Editorial Committee member for Ausinfo's Guidelines for Commonwealth information published in electronic formats and is currently preparing advice on managing electronic resources for persistence to extend the guidelines in this key area.

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3. Online Service Development Framework

The Library's Directions for 2000-2002 statement provides the Library with the framework for the development of its online products and services. The Library's particular goal for 2000-2002 and beyond is that:

All Australians, at their place of choice, have direct, seamless access to print and electronic sources of information.

Key objectives in support of this goal are:

  • To ensure that a comprehensive record of Australian history and creative endeavour, and a selected record of universal human knowledge is collected and cared for.
  • To ensure that the Library provides effective and open access to its own collections, and to information sources elsewhere.
  • To ensure that Australians, wherever they live or work, have access to information resources in Australia and overseas.
  • To foster a broad understanding of the importance of libraries, and of the National Library in particular, and to communicate the value of the Library in underpinning Australia’s cultural and intellectual life.
  • To contribute to the advancement of libraries and librarianship worldwide.

Under this framework, the Library undertakes a number of processes to define new services and to frame decisions about the transition of existing servies to the online environment. These processes include:

  • Consultation with key groups in the library, research and other communities.
  • Definition of the costs and benefits of online services including the measurement of any improvements in service quality, and other outcomes.
  • Definition of the impact of developing the service on the Library's other functions and services, including any internal efficiencies that may flow to the Library.
  • Identification of funding and resourcing requirements for both the development and ongoing operation of the service.

Key groups with which the Library consults include:

  • All sectors of the Australian library community.
  • Council of Australian State Libraries (CASL).
  • Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL).
  • Australian Research Council (ARC).
  • Other Australian cultural organisations.
  • Heads of Commonwealth Cultural Organisations (HOCO).
  • Corporate Management Forum (made up of DCITA agencies).
  • Other National Libraries.
  • Research Libraries Group (RLG).

A service is judged appropriate for online delivery where:

  • The service assists in achieving the Library's directions for 2000-2002.
  • The service can be efficiently and effectively delivered online.
  • There is a sound business case validated through consultation with key stakeholders and target client groups.
  • Resources and funds are available for development and delivery of the service taking into account other service commitments and priorities.

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4. Services Already Provided Online

The Library has delivered online resource sharing services to Australian libraries since 1981, initially through a leased line network and Austpac X.25 from 1983, but more recently via the Internet. The Library was also one of the first Government agencies to have a web site and has worked actively since 1995 to build this site into a primary means of delivering services to clients. Even for "walk-in" users, the Library's web site now operates as a portal to the Library's services.

As well as static content serving information provision, consultation and policy development functions, the Library has developed and/or implemented a number of complex web-based applications that serve to deliver online content to users. These services are described in detail in the Library's Online Content/Convergence Initiatives Stocktake Report published in April 2000.

A chronology of milestones to date is given in the table below:

Year

Milestone

1981

The Library implements an online service, the Australian Bibliographic Network (ABN) providing a single shared cataloguing network for Australian libraries. The service is based on a National Bibliographic Database which grows by the year 2000 to record 30 million items in the collections of Australian libraries.

1989

The Australian Bibliographic Network is enhanced through implementation of an Inter-Library Loan sub-system.

1992

The Library implements an Integrated Library Management System for managing its collections. Through this system the Library makes its catalogue accessible to all Australians via a Telnet connection.

1995

The Library implements its web site, enabling it to begin exploiting Internet technologies to deliver online content services such as Images 1 and targeted resource sharing services such as the Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts (RAAM).

1996

The Library initiates the PANDORA Project (Preserving and Accessing Networked Documentary Resources of Australia) to develop a proof-of-concept archive to enable long term preservation and access to significant Australian online publications.

1997

The Library commences the Network Services Project to replace the systems used to deliver Australian Bibliographic Network services with software better positioned to operate in an Internet environment..

The Library establishes a Systems Environment Review Group. The report of this group provides a set of principles informing the Library's approach to its online services.

1998

The Library commences the Digital Services Project with the aim of providing a technical infrastructure to support its digital services. The statement of the Library's digital services strategies and requirements in chapter 1 of the Digital Services Project Information Paper released in December 1998 provides a blueprint for the Library's strategies in relation to digital service delivery.

The Library implements the Australian Libraries Gateway, a directory service providing access to information about more than 5,400 Australian libraries, their collections and services. Each library in the Gateway has a password to update or amend information about itself, its services and collection via the Web.

1999

The Library replaces the Australian Bibliographic Network with a new service, Kinetica, which enables access to the National Bibliographic Database through a web interface and positions the service to interoperate with other systems via standard protocols..

The Library implements a new version of its web site based on a service delivery model.

The Library implements a web interface to its catalogue and replaces the catalogue terminals in all reading rooms with integrated workstations that provide access to the catalogue, the Library's other web-based services, networked CD-ROMs and the Internet.

The Research and Information Services page on the Library's web site becomes the entry point to the Library's information services for both internal ("walk-in") and external users.

In September 1999, an E-Commerce Working Group is established to identify business areas for current and future e-commerce activities by the Library, to develop a plan for the introduction of these services, and to develop a statement of the Library's requirements which can be used in the procurement of e-commerce support activities.

As part of the Digital Services Project, the Library purchases a metadata repository and search system.

2000

The Library develops a Digitisation Policy to provide a guide both to the digitisation of items held by the Library, and the management of these digital objects.

The Library uses its new metadata repository and search system to implement PictureAustralia, a service based on a central metadata index which links to pictorial images held on the web sites of participating cultural agencies around Australia.

The Library implements a Secure Internet Payment Service for Kinetica users.

An Infrastructure Group is established to develop strategies for developing the national information infrastructure to provide access to Australian networked resources.

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5. Key Challenges

The Library's key online service delivery challenges during the period 2001-2002 will be to:

  • Fully position the Library's technical infrastructure for online service delivery.
  • Digitise a significant body of Australian original materials for access through the Internet.
  • Enhance the National Bibliographic Database for access by researchers.
  • Enhance access to Australian electronic resources.
  • Move a significant proportion of the Library's commercial transactions to an e-commerce environment.

The following impediments to meeting these challenges have been identified and are being addressed through appropriate policy, planning and consultative processes:

  • Budget implications of continuing to offer traditional services (including online access to non-digital collection materials) at the same time as developing new online services and dealing with digital collection materials within the Library's existing funding framework.
  • The lack of a legislative framework for the legal deposit of electronicpublications.
  • The charging discontinuity between Kinetica services and other Library services freely available on the Library's web site.
  • Current state of development of rights management standards and systems.
  • Current state of development of authentication and authorisation standards and systems.
  • Current state of preparedness of the Library's suppliers to conduct commercial transactions online.

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6. Roles and Responsibilities

The Library Council, the Director General and the Library's Corporate Management Group have responsibility for ensuring that the Library's online strategies are achieved as part of their overall responsibility for monitoring the directions of the Library.

The Corporate Information Technology Group oversees the information technology aspects of online service delivery. This group, which is the Library's principal information technology planning mechanism, is chaired by the Deputy Director-General and meets every six weeks, or more often if required. Its terms of reference are to:

  • Achieve corporate consensus on the Library's strategic and operational IT plans.
  • Decide on relative priorities for the Library's technology related projects.
  • Monitor the progress of these projects.

Members of the group include the heads of the Library's six divisions - Collections Management, Australian Collections & Reader Services, Resource Sharing, Public Programs and Corporate Services - or their representatives. An Information Technology Projects database is maintained on the Library's Intranet which provides access to detailed business proposals for each project and tracks the status of projects.

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7. Evaluation Framework

A key component in the implementation of the National Library's online strategies is a rolling evaluation program. The focus of the Library's program has been to measure the quality and effectiveness of its exisiting and new online services from customer and key stakeholder perspectives. In the last two years the Library has completed formal external evaluations of:

  • The Australian Libraries Gateway
  • The Kinetica Service
  • The PADI subject Gateway
  • Pre-release evaluation of the Picture Australia Service
  • Evaluation of (walk in and external) Reference Services.

The Library will soon call for expressions of interest for an evaluation of its Web Site.

The Library sees its evaluation program as a critical mechanism for ensuring that new online serivices meet the needs of end users and key stakeholders, and that these services operate in an effective way. The evaluation program is also a key component of the Library's new Balanced Scorecard planning and reporting framework.

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8. Information Technology Directions

The primary responsibility for the Library’s information technology services rests with an Information Technology Division of 38 staff, of which about 17 are in scope for outsourcing as part of Group 11 within the Whole-of-Government IT Infrastructure Outsourcing Initiative.

Objectives and strategies

One of the main objectives of the Information Technology Division is to support and enhance the delivery of online services to the Library’s clients. Strategies related to this objective include:

  • Develop and maintain the Library’s web site, to ensure that it continues to provide up to date information to clients.
  • Replace, consolidate, develop, maintain and support appropriate software applications to enable the Library to manage its collections and deliver services to clients.
  • Cooperate with other institutions and organisations in the development and implementation of technical standards to ensure a high degree of interoperability between the Library’s services and those of others.

Environmental context

Like other organisations, the Library has been affected by global changes in information technology paradigms and standards which occurred in the 1990s.

The forces which are driving change in this area include:

  • The increasing dissemination of information via the Internet.
  • The adoption of the web interface as a commonly used interface to applications.
  • The expansion of bandwidth to support global access to multimedia documents.
  • The impact of new web based standards such as XML (eXtensible Markup Language).
  • Widespread commercial use of the Internet.
  • The Commonwealth Government's commitment to put all appropriate Government services online by 2001.

Underlying principles

The challenge for the Library in this new environment is to build a technical architecture which can accommodate its current business priorities, and which is scalable and extensible to accommodate future business directions and technology developments.

Key requirements for this architecture are:

  • To meet the needs of users for access to data and documents on both the Library’s systems and external systems, through a coherent user interface based on web protocols.
  • To make all of the Library’s collections visible to end users, and to support unmediated access to the electronic collections through the Library’s web site.
  • To ensure that the Library’s systems are interoperable with appropriate external systems, through the use of open systems standards.
  • To ensure that the Library’s systems are available for extended access hours, preferably 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
  • As far as possible, to base the development of services on products and services available or currently becoming available in the marketplace.
  • To adopt an architecture which provides a clear separation between servers, underlying databases, communication infrastructures and client software.
  • To minimise the costs of training, support, user licensing and system management by minimising the number of software and hardware platforms.
  • To minimise software costs by utilising open source software whenever this provides a functional and robust solution.
  • To minimise the duplication of data collected and maintained about the same entities.
  • To reduce costs and shorten projects by improving the design and documentation of software systems to facilitate code re-use and readability.

Cooperation

The Library regularly consults with other libraries and cultural agencies in its information technology activities. It shares information on IT policies and standards with other libraries, particularly state and university libraries, and seeks to develop interoperability of services wherever this is appropriate. The Library also collaborates with the university library community in the review and implementation of criteria for the funding of projects under the Research Infrastructure (Equipment and Facilities) scheme, and in the assessment of specific bids under this scheme.

The Library participates in the Corporate Management Forum (IT Working Group) which is constituted by the Commonwealth Government cultural agencies. Through this Group, the Library has been exploring opportunities for shared services arrangements for IT activities, and for improving the interoperability of the agencies' information services.

9. Standards and guidelines

Commonwealth standards and guidelines

A set of standards and guidelines are specified in the Commonwealth Government's GovernmentOnline strategy to ensure that online services are provided across the Commonwealth to a consistently high standard. The Library's levels of compliance against these standards and guidelines are outlined below

Information Provision

GovernmentOnline defines a set of Online Information Service obligations (OISOs) that set a minimum standard of completeness of information for agency websites that must be in place by 1 December 2000. The Library's web site already conforms with these Online Information Service Obligations.

Metadata

GovernmentOnline requires AGLS metadata to be applied to a minimum set of website resources by 1 December 2000. The Library has been adding AGLS metadata to content but needs to review current metadata practices to ensure they conform with Version 1.2 (http://www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/gov_online/agls/user_manual/intro.html) of the AGLS Manual. This version contains changes to the AGLS Metadata Standard approved by meetings of the AGLS Working Group in November 1999 and July 2000. In particular, it contains changes reflecting the completion of work to define a set of qualifiers for the Dublin Core metadata Standard on which AGLS is based. The Library had deferred using qualifiers (except in a few instances) until this work was completed. This task is scheduled for completion by 1 December 2000.

Electronic publishing, record keeping and archiving

GovernmentOnline requires all electronic publications to follow Ausinfo's Guidelines for Commonwealth information published in electronic formats by 1 December 2000 and for website content and websites themselves to be archived in accordance with National Archives of Australia (NAA) record keeping and archiving guidelines. The Library currently follows the Ausinfo and NAA guidelines for electronic publishing and record keeping. The Library will develop a website archival strategy in accordance with NAA guidelines by 1 December 2000.

Accessibility

GovernmentOnline requires websites to pass recognised tests of accessibility by 1 December 2000. The Library has set its level of conformance with the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to Conformance Level A. To enable early conformance with Level AA of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines the Library will implement style sheets to the extent that this can be done within the Library's requirement to support access to a wide range of users. Style sheets are needed to separate content from presentation, the primary requirement for Level AA conformance.

In the longer term the Library plans to support a structured markup standard such as XML in its web site, office technology systems and desktop editing and publishing systems. XML will offer other benefits such as improved search access, the ability to deliver different versions of a publication (print or web) from the same master and the capability to archive content in a standard format.

The Library has been testing XML to deliver manuscript finding aids in the Encoded Archival Description format. During 2001, the Library will continue to gain experience with XML as a web publication tool through a range of targeted projects that will enable it to assess the appropriate time to migrate fully to XML (or a related standard) for its web site.

Authentication

GovernmentOnline requires agencies to take a whole-of-government approach to authentication, for example, by using the Gatekeeper framework for public key authentication. The Library plans to implement the Government's recommended authentication technologies where appropriate, as as part of its e-commerce implementation plan.

Privacy

GovernmentOnline requires agencies to conform with the Privacy Commissioner's guidelines for handling personal information by 1 June 2000. The Library conforms with these guidelines.

Security

GovernmentOnline requires agencies to comply with the Protective Security Manual (PSM). The Library complies with this manual. It has an Information Systems Security Policy and has implemented procedures to ensure that systems are appropriately protected. In April 2000 the Library engaged Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to undertake an IT Risk Assessment as part of the preparation of an overall risk assessment framework for the Library. The Library has also (in September 2000) issued a Request for Quotation for an IT security review. The Library will use these reports to improve its IT security policies, procedures and facilities.

Library standards

The library and information community has adopted a range of additional standards which facilitate the interchange of library data, which promote the inter-operability of library systems, and which support the operation of national and international networks of libraries. Adherence to standards plays an important role in improving access by users to the information resources which are held in library collections, in collections of other cultural institutions, or which are accessible on the World Wide Web.

For many years the National Library has been an active participant in the definition and promotion of national and international standards for the library and information community. The Library's Standards Activity Group regularly meets to examine whether the Library's current standards activities are at the appropriate level, are covering our areas of interest and are appropriately coordinated within the Library and nationally. A document is maintained on the Library's Web Site, setting out the Library’s current standards activities, and the directions and priorities which it wishes to pursue in the medium term future.

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10. Electronic commerce

In September 1999 the Library set up an E-Commerce Working Group to identify business areas for current and future e-commerce activities by the Library, to develop a plan for the introduction of these services, and to develop a statement of the Library’s requirements which can be used in the procurement of e-commerce support services.

The Government's e-commerce objectives for government agencies include the ability to pay all suppliers to Government electronically by the end of 2000 and the ability to trade electronically with all "simple procurement" suppliers who wish to do so, using open standards, by the end of 2001. The Government has also established an Internet Payments Panel, which allows agencies to select suppliers of e-commerce services without going through a tendering process, and is trialing a Commonwealth Electronic Tender System, which will allow agencies to securely distribute and receive tender documentation via the Web.

The Government’s goals refer only to paying and trading with "suppliers to Government". The Library will also aim to support electronic trading and payment in those cases where it is the supplier. In other words, the Library will implement e-commerce as both a purchaser and supplier.

As a purchaser, the Library currently has limited e-commerce capabilities which fall short of the Government’s goals. As a supplier, the Library is already moving to implement e-commerce services. It has established a Secure Internet Payments Service, and a number of its web-based services (such as Kinetica and Images 1) are candidates for further development as e-commerce activities.

The Library will enhance its e-commerce capabilities both as a purchaser and a supplier by implementing the recommendations of the E-Commerce Working Group.

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11. The Library's Web Site

Background

The Library's web site is central to the Library's online action plan. It supports the information provision, consultation, policy, service and infrastructure development functions of the Library as well as being the focus for delivery of the Library's online services to readers and to the library community.

The Library undertook a major restructure and redesign of its web site in June 1999. This changed its emphasis from a public outreach focus to a service delivery model. Since then the Library has explored and implemented a range of technologies and support tools that enable rapid response to business needs for new information content and online services. These include use of scripting facilities which enable widescale changes to content on the site, database applications with a web-based editing capability to deliver the same content to more than one page on the site and a range of options to gather and analyse data via web forms.

Planned activities

Conduct a usability review of the Library's web site (2000 Q4)

The Library has scheduled a usability review of the web site for the fourth quarter of 2000 to evaluate the extent to which it provides easily accessible end-user access to the information content and services hosted on the site.

Implement a new web statistics service for Library managers (2000 Q4)

The current web statistics service does not have the capacity to meet the increasing demand from Library managers for detailed and timely web usage statistics as one of the means of measuring the effectiveness and ongoing relevance of online services. To meet these demands the Library is implementing a new web statistics service that will enable managers to obtain reports of web usage against a wide range of online services on a daily basis and to commission new reports as required. This service is scheduled for delivery by 1 November 2000.

Enable library staff to manage their own online content (2001 Q1)

In order to deliver all appropriate services online, library staff need to be able to manage their own content as a simple by-product of other workflows, particularly where there is an ongoing need to deliver both manual and online services. A project to build an appropriate environment for devolved web content creation and maintenance has been scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2001.

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12. The Collection

Background

The development, description and maintenance of the Library's collections are supported largely by the Integrated Library Management System (ILMS), which is based on Epixtech/Dynix software. This system supports the management of the Library's collections, supports the work of the technical services staff and supports access by readers to the Library's catalogue. The Dynix system will not be developed further by Epixtech after the year 2002.

One of the Library's key strategic directions is to "respond to the challenge of collecting and preserving significant Australian electronic information resources". To support this objective, the Library in 1996 initiated the PANDORA Project (Preserving and Accessing Networked Documentary Resources of Australia) which developed a proof-of-concept archive to enable long term preservation and access to significant Australian online publications.

In 1998 the National Library initiated the Digital Services Project with the aim of identifying information technology solutions to support a fully functioning PANDORA Service, to allow the Library to manage its digitised collections, and to provide a medium term solution to preserving accessibility of the Library’s digital collections as technologies change.

The Library has been aware for some time of the need for services to assist content managers to manage electronic resources for persistence. It already operates a PURL Resolver Service and has been investigating a range of alternative options for ensuring persistent identifiers are assigned to significant Australian digital publications.

Planned activities

Replace the Library's Integrated Library Management System (2002 Q4)

The Library will have to replace the Dynix system in order to ensure continuing support for collection management and access. A requirement for the replacement system will be to ensure that it interoperates effectively with the Library's other information and e-commerce services.

Complete implementation of the Library's new digital services infrastructure (2001 Q2)

The Library has decided undertake a series of medium scale projects to achieve the objectives of the Digital Services Project. The three key projects will develop:

  • A Collecting System (to manage the collection of digital publications from the Web or from physical format sources).
  • An Object Management System (to allow collection managers to maintain curatorial and administrative data about each resource).
  • A Digital Object Storage and Delivery System (to manage the storage of digital objects and associated copies, and to provide access to the objects via a Web interface).

Implement a registration and persistent naming service for digital publications (2001 Q4)

During 2001, following extensive testing of alternative systems and solutions, the Library will implement a registration and persistent naming service to:

  • Identify and assist in the management of digital materials produced and made publicy available by the Library. These include original materials on the website and digital surrogates of collection items.
  • Identify and assist in the management of digital materials which are owned by others but which are deposited with the Library for archiving as part of the PANDORA Service.
  • Form part of a general strategy to improve the persistence of citations in the digital environment.

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13. Information Services

Background

The Library's research and information services are supported by web and telnet interfaces to the catalogue and by a range of online information services accessible through the Library's web site. These include a service that uses innovative technology to enable access to a range of indexes and databases while meeting licence restrictions for some electronic services.

In 1999 the technology used by on-site readers was changed from telnet-based terminals to PCs which provide access through the web site to specific entry points for each reading room which integrate access to traditional and electronic collection resources. These "virtual reading rooms" operate as entry points to the Library's information services for both internal ("walk-in") and external users.

The Library provides electronic access to assisted reference services through a web online form and via direct email. Electronic reference enquiries increased by 73% in 1998/99. This increase is expected to continue to rise as remote and rural Australians without ready access to a library with extensive resources gain Internet access.

In October 1999 as part of the Digital Services Project, the Library selected the Blue Angel MetaStar Enterprise software to support metadata repository and search services providing access to digital collections. The Library is using this software to migrate and further develop information services providing access to its own collection (for example, Images1) as well as services providing integrated access to Australian collections (for example, the Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts and Picture Australia.)

The Library has created a number of online exhibitions, currently structured to support those exhibitions on display within the National Library or touring Australia. They aim to enable those unable to visit the physical exhibition to view select items and learn of key themes from the exhibitions. In some cases, supplementary material to the exhibitions are also included. All exhibitions are archived on the exhibition site.

The Library's information services include the provision of information about the Library and its collections to the general public. Currently, the Library's Web site supports these public program services through its "What's On" and "Services to the Community" pages. The Library also maintains a Corporate Mailing List which supports invitations to events and other contacts with the wider group of stakeholders.

Planned activities

Automate the production of call slips (2000 Q4)

Reading room users still need to fill in paper call slips to gain access to collection items. A project has been scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2000 to produce automated call slips from the Catalogue.

Undertake further targeted digitisation of the collections (ongoing)

During 2000-2002 the Library will undertake further targeted digitisation of its collections to support the development of information services providing unmediated access by on-site and remote readers. Such collections are likely to include selected manuscript, rare map and oral history collections, as well as further digitisation of the pictorial collection.

The Library will develop a set of standards to support the digitisation process, having regard to the work of other Australian and overseas institutions in this area. These standards will take into account access technologies needed to interpret and promote the collections through exhibitions and multi-media publications, as well as the need to enable access through service entry points such as the NLA catalogue and its subsets.

Implement the Encoded Archival Manuscript standard for manuscript finding aids (2000 Q4)

The Library will enable the sharing of information about manuscript collections between other collecting institutions at a national and international level by migrating its manuscript finding aids to the Encoded Archival Description standard.

Streamline the announcement of events by developing an events management system for the Library (2000 Q4)

The Library will improve the efficiency of Public Programs operations by developing a "What's On" database for the Library. The database will have an Intranet interface to support the management of events, including the booking of Library venues. It will also support the automatic delivery of an online calendar of events to the public web site as well as the production of printed brochures and management reports.

Migrate the Corporate Mailing List to a directory-enabled database (2001 Q2)

The Library will improve its cability to gather and interpret corporate intelligence information by migrating the Corporate Mailing List to an Intranet-based directory-enabled External Contacts Directory.

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14. Australian Library Network Services

Background

Through its Kinetica services, the Library provides resource sharing services to the Australian library community. These services support the maintenance of the National Bibliographic Database (NBD), and its use for reference, cataloguing and interlibrary lending activities by Australian libraries. A separate system supports the cataloguing and searching of Chinese, Japanese and Korean (CJK) library materials.

The Library supports networking and resource sharing in the Australian library community through a range of services, in addition to Kinetica. The Australian Libraries Gateway, while it provides information to readers and to the general public, also provides a tool for libraries to create and share information about their collections, services and contacts.

The Library supports the national recording and locating of archive and manuscript collections through the Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts (RAAM), a free web based service.

PictureAustralia is a cooperative service to improve the discovery of distributed pictorial materials in libraries and other cultural institutions in Australia.

The Library is involved in a number of other cooperative projects aimed at developing gateway services for discovery of distributed information resources, and at exploring new modes of scholarly publication through such services. Key examples are the Australian Literature Electronic Gateway, the PADI gateway to information on digital preservation, and the South Seas project, aimed at linking Pacific discovery resources with interpretive materials.

6.2 Planned activities

Implement priority enhancements to the Kinetica Service (Ongoing)

The Library will continue to implement priority enhancements to the Kinetica Service based on feedback and advice from the Kinetica Advisory Committee, user groups and expert advisory groups.

Merge the National CJK System into Kinetica (2002 Q2)

The Library will merge the National CJK system into Kinetica once the Kinetica system is able to support UNICODE. This is currently scheduled for 2002.

Enhance Kinetica for end user searching of the National Bibliographic Database (2001)

As a major vehicle for achieving effective resource sharing in Australian libraries, the National Bibliographic Database currently contains records for 30 million items held in libraries across Australia. This is a key information resource for researchers and Australians engaged in any sort of learning activity. During 2001 the Library will continue to enhance the Kinetica service to meet the needs of this target client group.

Migrate the Interlibrary Resource Sharing Directory to the Australian Libraries Gateway (2001 Q1)

A project is currently underway to extend the Australian Libraries Gateway to incorporate data currently stored in a separate Interlibrary Resource Sharing (ILRS) Directory . The intention is to enable this information to be maintained once through the Australian Libraries Gateway and to be shared between organisations and applications engaged in resource sharing activities.

Implement the recommendations of the Infrastructure Group (ongoing)

Earlier this year, an Infrastructure Group was set up to develop strategies for developing the national information infrastructure to collect, maintain and provide access to Australian networked resources. The recommendations of this group will most likely include recommendations to enhance and/or develop new online services.

Engage in at least one major collaborative project per year to improve the national information infrastructure (ongoing).

Each year one or more initiatives emerge from the university sector, often sponsored by academics, and aimed at improving the national information infrastructure. Typical examples are the development of gateway services for the discovery of distributed information resources in particular disciplines, such as the Australian Literature Electronic Gateway, which received funding at the end of 1999. The Library expects to participate in one major project of this type during each of the next three years.

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15. Current Functions and Services

Output

Function/ Service

Client groups

Collection development and description

  • Creators
  • Publishers
  • Library suppliers
  • Booksellers
  • Collectors
  • Donators
  • Sponsors
  • Libraries
  • Other collecting institutions
  • Contractors
  • Information Services
  • Individuals
  • Tertiary students
  • Schools
  • Researchers
  • Libraries
  • Business
  • Tourists
  • Community groups
  • Australian Library Network Services
  • Libraries
  • Other collecting institutions
  • Other information service providers
  • End users: See: Information Services
All outputs
  • NLA Web
  • Information provision
  • Advisory services
  • Consultation & policy development
  • Service & infrastructure development
  • Ordering & payment
  • Secure Internet Payment Service
  • E-mail Discussion Lists
  • All client groups

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16. August Web Usage Report

Percentage change in web usage is one of the Library's Balanced Scorecard measures. This figure is supported by a drill-down report for specific services. The August report is included here to give an indicative picture of current online service usage. This report excludes the Kinetica and National CJK Services which have their own Balanced Scorecard measures and reports.

Service Hits User Sessions Users
Australian Government Information 37,873 24,420 10,966
Australian Libraries Gateway 268,648 31,419 9,200
Australian Periodicals 1840-1845 16,743 2,384 990
Asian Collections 15,105 8,483 4,484
Australian Dance Collection 6,852 1,944 875
Australian Journals Online 32,054 13,742 5,168
Community Heritage Grants 1,215 668 394
Exhibitions 105,562 8,789 3,356
ILRS Directory TBA TBA TBA
Internet Subject Guides TBA TBA TBA
Images 1 32,494 6,298 3,240
Oral History Directory 4,227 855 474
Oral History 1,739 1,001 551
Manuscripts 28,496 13,322 6,261
Maps 4,093 1,933 1,204
PADI 105,519 3,792 1,769
PANDORA 38,859 5,418 2,692
Picture Australia 321,200 6,675 1,999
RAAM 16,386 3,535 1,410
WebPAC (Catalogue) 116,544 33,594 8,806
Home & other services combined 1,190,550 86,576 11,650
TOTAL 2,344,566 255,093 75,489

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