International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications
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1 During 2001-2002, phase 1 of the BEB Project targeted 35 public libraries in urban areas in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. The ultimate goal of the project is to implement ICT at 135 library service points across the Province.

The following municipalities and their public libraries were involved in the first phase of BEB:

• Albert Luthuli — Carolina Public Library
• Emalahleni — Klipfontein, KwaGuqa, Lynville and Witbank Public Libraries
• Greater Marble Hall — Marble Hall Public Library
• Greater Tubatse — Burgersfort Public Library
• Highlands — Belfast Public Library
• Lekwa — Sakhile and Standerton Public Libraries
• Mbombela — Matsulu, Nelspruit, Nelsville, Valencia Park and White River Public Libraries
• Middelburg — Eastdene, Mhluzi and Middelburg Public Libraries
• Mkhondo — Piet Retief Public Library
• Msukaligwa — Breyten, Cassim Park, Chrissiesmeer, Davel, Ermelo, KwaZanele and Wesselton Public Libraries
• Nkomazi — Malelane Public Library
• Seme — Volksrust and Vukuzakhe Public Libraries
• Thaba Chweu — Graskop, Lydenburg and Sabie Public Libraries
• Umdjindi — Umdjindi Public Library

Kanyamazane Public Library, which is still under the jurisdiction of MPLIS, and Meerlus Community Library, a library depot of Bank Colliery, also were part of the first phase.

2 The Project aims at using Corporation funds to build an information technology infrastructure.

2.2  Cost-sharing Internet telecommunication and telephone line installation charges with public libraries and depots for the first year after implementation:

• The telecommunication supplier TELKOM coordinated the installation of telephone lines centrally. The installation was completed at 34 libraries of 14 municipalities as well as at Kanyamazane Library (MPLIS) and Meerlus Community Library (Bank Colliery).
• 16 libraries at 8 municipalities have already subscribed to an Internet Service Provider, were registered as PALS Subscription users and are in the process of downloading the PalsTac end-user software from the Internet. Problems with ISP subscription and the provision of static IP addresses are currently being solved at the libraries of 4 municipalities as well as at Kanyamazane Public Library and Meerlus Community Library. The lack of progress at two municipalities will be addressed within the immediate future.

2.3 To create a web facility for PALS in Mpumalanga the Head of Department requested the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) in writing to develop the WebPals web site for MPLIS as part of the Project. The creation of the web site was outsourced to LibTech and completed, but SITA still have to solve server problems. SITA indicated that this matter would be resolved soon.

3 The Project aims at using Corporation funds to develop and strengthen human resources

• LibTech (Unisys) trained 35 public librarians and 1depot librarian to use the PALS OPAC and interlibrary loans modules according to schedule during May and June 2002.
• CS Holdings trained 35 public librarians and 1 depot librarian in basic computer literacy as well as in Microsoft Word and Excel according to schedule during March and April 2002. Training manuals, handbooks and self-guided CD — ROM training sets were also provided. Since it was the first encounter with computers and computer software for some of the librarians, 9 had to be retrained, especially in Excel. Inquiries about related training in ICT usage, and more specific Internet usage in public libraries have already appeared as spin-offs of the exposure.
• The two Project Managers attended a weeklong training course during April 2002 in Project Management and MS Project

• In October 2001 five contract workers were appointed, one at each of five regional libraries, to capture all library material items in affiliated libraries onto the MPLIS PALS database. With their assistance 109 622 items had been captured since their appointment. A sixth worker (a qualified librarian) was appointed to do basic cataloguing of those items for which no records can be found in the electronic catalogue.

4.1 A very successful Project Launch was held on 15 February 2002 in Nelspruit, where the main purpose was to get the local politicians and municipal managers to accept ownership of the Project in their libraries. 200 people attended the event and some representatives commented that the launch was impressive and that the multi-media presentation was different and enjoyable. The Project also received coverage in die Media.

4.2 Attendance of two conferences was made possible with Carnegie funding. The Project Director, Mr. Francois Hendrikz, attended the IFLA Conference in Boston in August 2001. The Project Manager, Ms. Anso Smit, attended the SCECSAL Conference in Kempton Park in April 2002.

5 Challenges

5.1 Although Agreements with municipalities were workshopped and the outcomes were communicated in a letter, the administrative process to get the Agreements signed by the different Councils took longer than was anticipated. Many follow-ups had to be done in the form of telephone calls, faxes and even visits in certain cases. This was mainly due to the establishment of the new structure for local government, the appointment of new municipal managers and the fact that the demarcation process and staff structure establishment was still incomplete. Eventually, only one Agreement for the first phase is still outstanding.

5.2 The Project Management anticipated that ISP subscription would be one of the most crucial and difficult aspects affecting the success of the Project. Municipalities and Internet Service Providers were constantly advised about technicalities to make access to the PALS database possible for dial-up or subscription users. The expected slow progress created problems regarding the synchronization of the PALS training with access to the database.

However,

• MPLIS learnt about some technical solutions that can be used in the next phases, e.g connectivity tests
• Project Management now considers using a tender or quotation system to ensure that municipalities subscribe directly to larger ISPs with more capacity.
• At some libraries, problems with security were reported, which prevented the immediate use of the computer equipment. Information on computer safes and the opportunity to apply for funding for security projects were provided as solutions.

5.3 After a meeting with SITA, a letter was received to inform the Project Director that the matter of finalizing the web facility will receive immediate attention and that reasons for the delay would be investigated and reported.