Reference and Information Service Section Conference and Exhibition 6-8 September 1999, Sydney Hilton, Australia

Creating Canberra's Virtual Community Library Service.

In late 1998, a six month pilot of a network of high speed telecommunications infrastructure to homes, schools and businesses commenced in Aranda, a suburb of Canberra. The cabling cost is about $10m. funded by the local electricity and water utility.

Information planners and library staff in the ACT Government saw the opportunity to use the pilot to develop and test new virtual information services including:

• Vitual Library providing material electronically
• Online librarian reference service provided real time by voice, video and PC
• Virtual shopfront providing government information, services and transactions
• Homework Help, a high speed web site to support students doing homework
• YOUTH ON LINE (YOL), a website developed by young people for themselves and hosted by the library service.

Beverley Forner, Director, Information Planning and Services, Department of Urban Services, ACT Government & Nicky Lo Bianco.