Communiqué from LIAC following the meeting of 17 February 2005
Following the meeting with the Hon. Marian Hobbs and Hon. David Cunliffe on 14 December, presenting the concept of New Zealand Online, the Commission was asked to develop the concept further at its February meeting. LIAC was advised that the Ministry of Economic Development is considering governance issues relating to the Digital Strategy. The priority for LIAC, therefore, is to emphasise the infomediary role of libraries (e.g. through initiatives such as “AnyQuestions”) and the contribution that libraries could make in building the ICT capability (e.g. similar to the Peoples’ Network in the UK).
This was the main topic of business for the day and LIAC members articulated their personal visions for NZ Online. Put together, these ideas suggested a model for NZ Online (www.nzonline.co.nz) that would:
- become a virtual New Zealand for all New Zealanders
- link us with the rest of the world, and the world to New Zealand
- facilitate the creation of NZ content via a content and collaboration strategy
- fund the expansion of NZ content by establishing a contestable fund used to advance the content, confidence, connection goals of the Digital Strategy
- share and protect NZ content through an intellectual property framework
- share and protect Mātauranga Māori through an intellectual property framework which acknowledges cultural property
- provide citizen’s authentication via a NZ intranet with single sign-on
- ensure equity of access by using the public library network to complement direct access to digital information
- give access to NZ content to all New Zealanders via public libraries or directly from homes and businesses
- give access to world information for all New Zealanders via public libraries or directly from homes and businesses
- showcase New Zealand Aotearoa to the world and affirm cultural identity
- encourage New Zealanders to chat, share and create with each other and the world
- bring the NZ Digital Strategy to life.
LIAC recommends that the next steps are to develop:
Content and collaboration strategy
This is required to map the information landscape, identify the gaps and promote digitisation of text, sound and visual content. O ther elements include the availability of information literacy training and online librarians available to help with navigation, searching (e.g. “Any questions” initiative) and standards-based content creation.
Contestable fund
The fund would be available for individuals, groups and businesses to apply for assistance with developing ideas, establishing new enterprises and creating new communities that advance the goals of NZ Online.
Intellectual property framework
Creative commons licences are required to encourage the sharing of intellectual property while retaining the creator’s rights (http://creativecommons.org/ ). Issues relating to protection of Mātauranga Māori need to be considered.
Citizen’s authentication
Different levels of access will be required for different purposes e.g. EPIC databases available only to New Zealanders, some Māori information may be restricted to the owners of that information, personal information would be available only to the owner of that information. Personal or group (e.g. iwi) profiles could be created to define access.
In summary LIAC suggests that the success of NZ Online is dependent on harnessing the skills, energy and vision that already exist within the New Zealand library network. These have been amply demonstrated through initiatives such as:
- EPIC database access provision for the whole nation
- “Any questions” for schools
- Matapihi as best practice for collaborative digitisation of New Zealand visual content
- Information literacy programmes widely available through all types of library
Under the umbrella of NZ Online, initiatives like these could be coordinated and extended to reach a far wider community and realise the vision of the Digital Strategy i.e. that “New Zealand will be a world leader at using information and technology to realise our economic, social and cultural goals”.
LIAC believes that the New Zealand library community is ready and willing to make this contribution.
Ainslie Dewe
Chair, LIAC
17 March 2005