In this issue:

In every issue:

1999 Internet Connectivity Survey

by Claire Hamasu

When the National Library of Medicine selected the Internet as the primary delivery system for its resources, it was concerned that Network members without Internet connectivity would lose access to these important resources. This distribution method would be successful only if an overwhelming majority of Network members could participate.

In the spring of 1997 NLM conducted a survey of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to determine the percentage and level of Internet connectivity among member libraries. That survey revealed 78% of these libraries had Internet access. Within the Pacific Southwest region, access was a little below the average, 74%. The National Library of Medicine predicted that connectivity would be high among academic medical libraries, and it was-96%. The success of the Internet as a delivery method would be assured if a very high percentage of hospital libraries also had Internet access. The survey showed that 73% of the nation's hospital libraries had access. Among hospital libraries in Region 7, 69% were connected.

The 1997 survey results indicated that increased effort was needed to assist hospital libraries to gain access to the Internet. All the Regional Medical Libraries were asked to develop programs to improve the numbers. At the Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library, Judy Consales, former Information Technology Coordinator, managed the Internet Connectivity Support Program. Libraries who were identified through the survey as not having an Internet account were invited to participate in a program that would help overcome the barriers they had identified in the survey. This program offered: a workstation, subsidy for an Internet Service Provider, consultation on getting connected, and/or training for staff.

NLM decided to follow up with another survey in the spring of 1999, to determine whether connectivity had increased. The survey was sent to new network members, members who were not connected at the time of the 1997 survey, network members who had not responded to the 1997 survey, and a random group of members who had responded to the initial survey. A sampling of 200 of our 612 Network members were included in this nationwide survey. If this sample is indicative of all the libraries in the region, then connectivity has continued to increase among Pacific Southwest members, but not up to the national average. We fare 10% below the average among Network members and hospital Network members who are connected.

The speed of the connections has improved among Region 7 Network members. Close to half of the Network are connected through their local area network (LAN) as compared to 37% in the 1997 survey.

A small percentage (17%) but still significant number (106) libraries are not connected to the Internet. The barriers they have identified to obtaining Internet access is the lack of in-house technical expertise, the cost of computer hardware, and the cost of staff training and education. PSRML will continue the Internet Connectivity Support Program to increase the number of Network members who can access the Internet.

The 1999 survey gathered additional information on the number of workstations capable of accessing the Internet and identified the users of these Internet workstations. Over one third of the Network libraries in this region have at least one workstation with an Internet connection. A little less than half have more than one workstation connected. A majority of these workstations are used by library staff and hospital staff. Public access to the Internet is available at 27% of the libraries.

Next Article