This article offers a number of statistics and performance measures that libraries may find useful in determining the overall quality of their network-based services; identifies a number of service quality criteria; and provides a framework to assist librarians in selecting statistics and performance measures based on service quality criteria.…

Describes external sources of funding for public libraries to establish and maintain their technology infrastructure, telecommunications services, and network-based resources and services. Highlights include LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act); the E-rate program; and the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation U.S. Library Program. (LRW)

The provision of public Internet access and related networked services by public libraries is affected by a number of information policy issues. This article analyzes the policy dimensions of Internet connectivity in public libraries in light of the data and findings from a national survey of public libraries conducted by the authors of this…

Explores several methods through which to evaluate statewide electronic networks, and discusses key issues and preliminary findings that affect the successful evaluation of statewide networked services. (Author/AEF)

Identifies research topics related to outcomes assessment in a networked environment and discusses issues affecting these topics. Proposes a framework to relate traditional evaluation components and terminology to the networked environment and identifies factors in the networked environment that affect assessment methods. Suggests outcomes…

This report describes the results of an assessment of Sailor, Maryland's Online Public Information Network, which provides statewide Internet connection to 100% of Maryland public libraries. The concept of a "statewide networked environment" includes information services, products, hardware and software, telecommunications…

Identifies and analyzes federal government electronic bulletin boards; assesses the types of information available to users, including costs and technological access issues; discusses federal information policy; and considers the role of federal bulletin boards in accessing and managing electronic government information. (Contains 29 references.)…

Discussion of the role of county government regarding the management of information technology focuses on a national study of the centralized management of information technology that was conducted to identify practices; assess benefits, costs, and constraints; enumerate critical success factors; and identify future challenges. (Contains 12…

This report provides an evaluation of the Online at PA Libraries project which was initiated in the Fall of 1996 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Office of Commonwealth Libraries and the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit. The report documents that the following goals were accomplished: (1) provide public access to the Internet through…

This compendium is a companion document to the Maryland Sailor Online Public Information Network assessment final report, and contains detailed study findings, study data collection activity write-ups, detailed methodologies, data collection tools, and consultant notes on the uses of the study's data collection instruments. The purpose of the…