The Internet Public Library Handbook: Guide for Building and Monitoring Virtual Libraries

Founded in 1995, the Internet Public Library (IPL) was the first virtual public library created exclusively to serve the online community. In this guide, the founding members deliver practical advice on issues related to providing library and information services on the Internet, including: technical support; maintenance; understanding users; site design and organization; funding; and access issues. Also featured are step-by-step instructions for assembling and maintaining collections of networked resources, adding new resources and original content, adapting sources to a web environment, and developing remote services. Profiles of successful services such as IPL’s e-mail based Ask a Question , ready reference and online text collections complete the guide.