Sir, - Telecom Eireann's investment in the "Digital Town" (Supplement, October 16th) is to be welcomed, and the Library Association of Ireland congratulates the people of Ennis on winning the title of Ireland's information age town. Equipping one town for the information age is a start, but all our citizens must have equal access to the exciting opportunities offered by the technological revolution which is upon us. This association believes that the public library network of over 300 branches, located throughout the length and breadth of Ireland, will be a key element in ensuring this equality of access.
One of the leaders of the information technology revolution, Bill Gates of Microsoft, has recognised the crucial role of the public library service. The recent extension of Microsoft's Libraries OnLine initiative to Ireland, currently operating in Ballyfermot and Castlebar (and shortly to open in Limerick), is the practical result of this recognition. Individual public library services are also implementing their own plans to help their communities to get on the information super-highway. As welcome and exciting as these developments are, the Library Association of Ireland is convinced that two other initiatives are urgently required. These are: (1) that the Government, the Information Society Commission, and the other major players in the field recognise the central role of the public library network in the development of the information society in Ireland; and (2) that the necessary investment be made in the existing public library network so that all our citizens have at least one point of access to the digital future.
The country's library services have never been slow to exploit the opportunities offered by new technology, and many are already at the forefront of exploiting the Internet and the World-WideWeb. With the support of Government and the relevant agencies, we can ensure that all our citizens can play a full role in the information society. - Yours, etc.,
President, The Library Association of Ireland, Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2.