THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 TAG: 9602140374
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
Unless you've got a computer at home or work, hooking up to the Internet isn't easy.
But thanks to area libraries, that may be changing.
Chesapeake officials are considering a plan for connecting citizens to cyberspace through computers in public libraries. Virginia Beach library officials, who offer patrons a limited Internet link for computerized periodicals, are discussing ideas for an expanded system.
Norfolk is ahead of the game. Two computers, one at Kirn Memorial Library downtown and one at the Blyden branch of the library on East Princess Anne Road, offer citizens fairly extensive Internet access. The computers are linked to the World Wide Web, a global network that allows people to share computerized text, graphics, videos and sound.
Norfolk library patrons can get information on an almost limitless variety of topics from international sources just by entering key words or phrases. They also can get computerized indexes of all kinds of periodicals.
By March the Portsmouth main library will have a computer with capabilities similar to Norfolk's.
For librarians, the Internet is an exciting new way to provide information to citizens, tantamount to an unlimited reference book containing the answers to all the world's questions.
``It's a tremendous resource,'' said S. Nelson Worley, director of library development and networking for the Library of Virginia in Richmond. ``It's very frustrating when you're sitting at a reference desk and you know the answer is out there somewhere, but you just can't find it in a resource book.''
Statewide, libraries are just beginning to experiment with the new technology, Worley said.
Virginia's libraries already have connections to the Internet through the Virginia Library and Information Network. But that's reserved for staff use. And in most libraries, few staff members even take advantage of it.
Hampton Roads libraries report being inundated by requests from the public for access to the information superhighway.
The demand has raised some thorny questions.
For one thing, what is the role of government in helping people learn about and use the Internet?
``Maybe we need to be the place where people can simply walk in and get access,'' said John D. Stewart, assistant director of Virginia Beach public libraries. ``We're tussling with that now.''
Officials also question how much Internet access they should provide for the public - only information-gathering capabilities or more sophisticated interactive functions, such as electronic mail and links to computerized discussion groups.
That raises concerns that patrons might use the public computers inappropriately, such as for downloading pornographic pictures or text.
Norfolk has met that challenge by not providing public access to computerized discussion groups called newsgroups. That way, children can't be lured into on-line conversations with pedophiles. The public computers also are located in highly visible spots in the libraries.
``Perverts don't sit and look at pornography in a public area,'' said Lois H. Radford, systems librarian for Norfolk Public libraries.
In Portsmouth, the big concern is how much staff time it will take to train the public to use the new system.
Portsmouth received a $3,000 grant from the Community Services Board to buy a computer, a modem and a phone line. Public broadcasting station WHRO will provide the connection to the 'net.
WHRO also provides the connection for the Norfolk libraries' public computers, which went on-line last August.
Charles H. Anderson, Chesapeake's Central Library manager, thinks giving the public access to the Internet is a good idea, but he worries that demand will outstrip the availability of computers, leading to citizen frustration.
``It's not instant response'' when someone is searching the Internet for information, Anderson said. ``You can be sitting there for 15, 20 minutes waiting for a response.''
Still, Mark S. Cox, the city's director of public affairs, said he believes the kinks will work themselves out. The important thing, he said, is getting started.
Cox and other Chesapeake officials have been spurred to action by their plans to create a World Wide Web home page - an Internet repository for information about the city, such as the names and phone numbers of key city officials and departments. Cox said he plans to unveil the Chesapeake home page within 30 days.
He wants all citizens to be able to use it.
So next month he will pitch to the city manager a plan to give the public access to the Internet. But Cox envisions at least one computer in each of the city's six library branches, with about the same level of access that Norfolk provides.
Cox estimated the cost of his plan at $10,000-$12,000. City Council would have to approve the expense, if the city manager signs off on it.
But Cox said City Manager Clarence V. Cuffee has directed his office to generate plans to improve the quality of life in Chesapeake.
``Which is a very tall order,'' Cox said. ``And we're trying to focus on something that will benefit as many people as possible.''
KEYWORDS: INTERNET PUBLIC LIBRARY by CNB