Proposal For
Australian Libraries
26/7/1999
(Sent to every library in Australia)

Made in response to the fears raised by the Virtual Libraries Summit at the New York Public Library in June 1999

• Aim: To fulfil the social obligations of Australian libraries by
  • Protecting the existence of all works held in Australian libraries.
  • Improve the community's access to the works of literature and science held by the libraries by allowing every reader instant and unlimited access to every work.
  • Make many of the works easier to read and understand by use of the powerful indexing tools provided by computer software.
• Plan: Publish all works as Internet documents, supported by at least one copy printed on paper, thereby making each library a web page containing a catalogue of books, with each work supported by an actual printed paper version.
• Method: Every library is to ensure an Internet copy of each of their books is published on the Internet with a local Internet Service Provider. And that at least one copy of each is reprinted and stored as future security, in a library store-room.
  • This does not mean that every work has to be digitised, only those works that are not already on the Internet. Existing digitised works should be copied onto the local server, and printed for storage .
  • A register of already digitised books stored should be created to avoid digitising the same book more than once. This register should contain the Title, Author, and ISBN where available, along with the actual Internet address of the copy. ( A trial register was to be set up at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~smartboard/register.htm )
• The work is to be supervised by the librarians but done by the unemployed as part of the work-for-the dole program. This will:—
  • Minimise the cost of the program
  • Give valuable training to a significant part of the population.
  • Advertise the project along with its potential benefits.
• Suggestions: All suggestions for implementing or enhancing this proposal should be sent to smartboard@bigpond.com for consideration and publication on a suggestions board.