Libraries and the new media: VICNET—The Victorian experience

Abstract

The Internet is well established as a major information source and it is becoming accepted that libraries will provide access to the Internet from workstations within their walls. This paper explores some of the issues which have emerged from the experience of one library—based service, VICNET, in the provision of Internet access and services. The Internet gives users the means not only to access increasingly rich information sources, but also has the ability to publish and communicate. The new communication media offer the opportunity to develop new and extremely rewarding roles for the Library.