People''s NetworkのICTトレーニング報告書

Library staff skills boosted by ICT training

Key facts

Thanks to the People’s Network there are over 30,000 computer terminals in the UK’s public libraries – an average of seven per branch.
In addition to installing ICT terminals, People’s Network project has involved training all public library staff to European Computer Driving License standard, so that they are on hand to give users help and advice.
Over 4,000 public libraries provide broadband access to the internet and other online services.
In sheer scale of use, monitoring data on the People’s Network collected from all public libraries in England, reveal 11.7 million user sessions on the networked terminals in 2003.
Bandwidth averages hugely exceed the minimum specification of 2MB.
The expansion in hardware capacity, coupled with increased opening hours in many libraries, is providing over 68.5 million hours of potential internet use a year across the UK.
A MORI survey, undertaken for the National Audit Office as part of its independent review of the People’s Network, put the usage even higher. It found that 16% of adults had used the internet at a public library.
The People’s Network was funded by the New Opportunities Fund (now Big Lottery Fund).