Innovation

1
Innovation

• The staff of the Pictou Antigonish Regional
  Library
• November 20, 2003
• Pictou County, Nova Scotia

2
The journey begins

• 1980s Nova Scotia Libraries begin
  retrospective conversion
• Nova Scotia network forms to purchase one
  integrated system
• Network must be connected
• But how and who could afford?

3
Internet to the rescue

• 1994 Nova Scotia Libraries are among the first
  to be connected to the Internet
• Dept of Education agrees to connect Libraries
  if we offer public access to technology
• New Glasgow Library first to offer Internet
  access to the public
• Pictou County CED strategic plan PARL
  identified as the community champion to push
  forward community access to technology

4
The Federal Vision - CAP

• 1996 using CAP funding to enhance access to
  technology
• River John public meeting builds a model of
  community involvement and ownership
• It all starts with 9600
• River John model is duplicated in Libraries,
  Community Centres and Schools
• MeanwhilePARL moves ahead with one of the
  first websites

5
The Province moves in

• 1998 Nova Scotia asks Counties to form into
  working groups
• CREDA, CORDA and PARL form Northcap around CED
  principles
• Northcap is an umbrella group that leaves
  decision making at the County and community
  level
• Each County has a community champion that has
  the responsibility of carrying community access
  forward
• PARL Board formally incorporates community
  access as policy

6
Focus on Pictou County - Our Projects Why do we
do the things we do?

• Libraries have the skills, standards,
  technology and infrastructure
• Libraries have partnerships in place
• Libraries are one of the few institutions left
  in rural communities
• Libraries have the mandate to offer community
  access to technology and services
• PARL builds its Virtual Library focusing on
  content, local resources and organizing
  knowledge and information
• Libraries are all things to all people

7
The Electronic Lobster

• PARL begins learning how to create digital
  content
• 17 digital projects completed, nationally
  recognized
• Preserving local history but at the same time
  promoting local communities
• Teaching youth technology skills but also
  contributing to their community
• Adding real content to the Virtual Library

8
Reaching Out

• Creating an awareness of online services
• Ensuring outreach the human touch
• Goal to integrate services and make them easy
  to use
• Appli-web
• Business Room
• Service Nova Scotia Express

9
Making sure apples are apples

• Creating three levels of service across northern
  Nova Scotia
• Three classifications Innovation, Access and
  Express - each determined by the community
• The public and potential partners understand
  who we are and what we can offer

10
Help!

• The CAP Assistants Program
• Unemployed persons learning technology skills
  gaining work skills and contributing to their
  community
• HRDC funded 3 years and all clients now
  employed or in education programs
• One trainer specializes in small business
  support

11
Do we still need buildings?

• 1999 River John Library and CAP outgrows its
  space and builds the River John Library and
  Innovation Centre 100 community owned.
• 2003 experimenting with wireless community
  broadband
• 2003 Pictou Library and Innovation Centre
  opened
• 2003 Westville declares intentions to open new
  Library and Innovation Centre
• Libraries and CAP sites well on their way to
  becoming the new general store.

12
Do we still need the people?

• Community ownership and involvement always key
• Providing technology and training to the
  community and watching what happens
• CAP added CED which means letting communities
  have a say in their future
• Listen to your volunteers

13
The future bringing it all together