Describes plans by the Council of Great Lakes Governors, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio, to develop an information highway linking state governments, computer and research networks, telecommunications providers, and universities. Highlights include the Internet,…

This annual report includes the Illinois State Library Mission and guiding principles for Illinois libraries; reading and literacy initiatives; library system developments; expanded access to timely information, including networks; governmental library services; special publications; and the budget. (LRW)

With the 1996 defeat of the Communications Decency Act, under which providing offensive material on computer systems accessible to children would have become a felony, no legal guidelines exist for library use of the Internet. Libraries can avoid becoming the center of an Internet controversy by encouraging parental involvement; by protecting…

Provides an overview of computer networking and discusses three general applications--communications, remote access, and file transfer--and their benefits to library services. Outlines three problems librarians face--economic and technological access, training, and the challenge of participative development of the Internet. (14 references/notes)…