Released on April 7, 1995
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Ralph Goodale and Municipal
Government Minister Carol Carson today announced that the
Canada-Saskatchewan Infrastructure Works Program has approved the
development of the infrastructure for a province-wide electronic
library information system.
The announcement was made at the annual conference of the Saskatchewan
Libraries Association and the Saskatchewan Libraries Trustees'
Association in Saskatoon.
The project is expected to create up to 11 direct jobs as Saskatchewan
libraries implement electronic systems and form a province-wide
electronic library network.
The Canada-Saskatchewan Infrastructure Works Program has approved
$1,510,000 for the initiative. The province will provide $569,520; the
federal government $249,480; and local library boards will contribute
$700,000.
Speaking on behalf of Lloyd Axworthy, minister of Western Economic
Diversification and implementing minister of the infrastructure program
in western Canada, Minister Goodale said: "The electronic library
project will enhance Saskatchewan's information system infrastructure,
allowing more residents access to a greater wealth of knowledge. By
supporting projects that utilize innovative technology, the
infrastructure program is improving the quality of life for Canadians
in urban and rural areas, and increasing opportunities for skilled
employment."
"Libraries have a vital role in providing people with access to
information, " said Carson. "The community electronic library network
project will bring us closer to the vision of a province-wide
electronic library. Wherever people live in Saskatchewan, they will
have vastly improved access to all data, information, entertainment,
programs and services contained within and available through the
province's library systems."
$500,000 of the project funding will be used to establish a matching
grant fund. Local libraries, including public, school, college or
special libraries, would then be able to co-apply for a matching grant
with other partners in the community. Local partners could include
other information service providers such as businesses, municipal
governments, or other community organizations.
Once a project is approved by a provincial adjudication committee,
communities would then receive a matching grant to create local library
data systems and to provide the capacity to connect local library
networks into the province-wide electronic library system.
The grant would be used for the purchase, installation and maintenance
of hardware and software; wiring and electronic connection through
SaskTel's Wide Area Network Service; training at local libraries; and
technical expertise communities may need in order to automate their
library system, form local electronic networks, and connect to the
province-wide system.
Infrastructure program funding will also be used to create an
electronic union catalogue which combines the listings of all books in
every library on the system. Listings would then be available on an
electronic database that would eventually be accessible to any
Saskatchewan resident via personal computer and modem. In time, the
province-wide electronic library system will also be part of the
world-wide Internet.
The Canada-Saskatchewan Infrastructure Works Agreement was signed in
January 1994. It enables Canada, Saskatchewan, municipalities and the
private sector to co-operatively undertake and fund projects which will
renew and improve the quality of the public infrastructure and create
employment opportunities for Canadians.
Under the agreement, $173.1 million has been earmarked for
infrastructure projects in Saskatchewan. To date, more than $167.7
million has been approved for 772 infrastructure projects in the
province.
Federal funding for the Infrastructure Works Program was provided for
in the February budget as part of the federal government's prioritized
spending program.
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For more information, contact:
Heather Waldern Hinds Maureen Woods
Communications Officer Provincial Librarian
Western Economic Diversification Regina
Saskatoon Phone: (306) 787-8866
Phone: (306) 975-5475
Russ Krywulak
Director
Canada-Sask. Infrastructure Program
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-8808
Backgrounder
Province-wide Library Electronic Information System
Canada-Saskatchewan Infrastructure Works Program
April 7, 1995
Project Impacts and Benefits:
_ The project will create local data systems and allow libraries
to electronically communicate and share information.
_ The project will give Saskatchewan people affordable access to
information available in Saskatchewan libraries. All residents
will have an equal opportunity to participate in the information
age, regardless of geographic location or financial resources.
_ The project will enhance people's information retrieval skills.
_ Saskatchewan people will have a greater opportunity to benefit
from technology and information at local, provincial, national and
world-wide levels.
_ By working through existing structures such as the rural library
system, the project will be cost effective.
_ The project will result in higher-skilled library employees able
to use technical computer expertise, interface with new systems,
and train library users.
_ There is potential for increased employment.
_ Increased investment in new communications technology by library
systems throughout the province will stimulate Canada's and the
province's communications technology sector, creating spinoff
employment and opportunities in the process.
_ By giving Saskatchewan people universal, affordable access to
information, the project will result in a more knowledgeable and
informed population, able to compete successfully in the
international marketplace.
Phase 1 - Province-wide Electronic Information System
_ Saskatchewan libraries are working towards development of a
province-wide library network. The library community has named
this network PLEIS, the Province-wide Library Electronic
Information System.
_ PLEIS will be developed and implemented in phases over a number
of years.
_ As part of Phase I, Provincial Library is currently building an
electronic union catalogue. A union catalogue brings together the
book listings and records of many libraries into one catalogue.
The catalogue will be a significant contribution from
Saskatchewan's libraries to the information highway.
_ The PLEIS will improve additional functions:
- access to the Internet or information highway;
- electronic requests and record-keeping for interlibrary loans;
- Email among libraries;
- information bulletin boards that post frequently asked
questions and potential responses;
- electronic exchange of library records;
- development of a province-wide user database to make it easier
for people to have province-wide borrowing capability;
- rapid electronic document delivery of full-text documents;
- electronic publishing of local information, directories,
newsletters, etc.;
- the ability to purchase one commercial information database,
use it across the entire province, and achieve
province-wide savings.
Phase 2 - Library Systems Electronically Connecting to Form a
Province-wide Network
_ The second phase will be to provide the 10 public library
systems in the province and Provincial Library with the capability
to connect with each other.
_ Provincial Library will purchase the electronic connection
through SaskTel's Wide Area Network Service. This will serve as
the communications backbone among sites. It will also provide
limited Internet access.
_ Initial network sites include:
- Chinook Regional Library, Swift Current
- Lakeland Library Region, North Battleford
- Palliser Regional Library, Moose Jaw
- Parkland Regional Library, Yorkton
- Southeast Regional Library, Weyburn
- Wapiti Regional Library, Prince Albert
- Wheatland Regional Library, Saskatoon
- Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System, La Ronge
- Regina Public Library, Regina
- Saskatoon Public Library, Saskatoon
- Provincial Library, Regina
Phase 3 - Connecting Libraries Within Communities
_ Phase 3 of PLEIS will be to establish a network among other
types of libraries in communities, including college, school and
special libraries, and all public library branches within the
region. There are branch libraries in over 300 Saskatchewan
communities.
_ Matching grants will be available to groups of local libraries
in partnership with local government, businesses and other
information providers in the community. These groups will jointly
apply for grants for specific projects that relate to the
development of the library network.
_ Applications will be made through Provincial Library.
Representatives from different types of libraries (public, school,
college and special) will be invited to form a library committee
to adjudicate the proposals.
