In the course of 1996-97, the Flemish government connected its complete public library system to the internet. Although the main objective was of course to provide all citizens with an access to information worldwide, the underlying aim was to install a co-operative network among public library institutions that are basically solitary working bodies. Three steps have already been made:
* the technical connection and installations
* the training of library staff
* the development of BIBnet, a website for public libraries.
The challenge for the future is to allow the infrastructure to evolve into the backbone of a genuine public libraries network, th[...]