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Evaluation of the OnLine at PA Libraries Project <br /> <br />numerous "success stories" of how public access to the Internet greatly <br />assisted users; <br /> <br />Removed some of the isolation of the community by providing a "link" <br />between the participating libraries' communities and the ideas, resources, <br />and information in a global setting; <br /> <br />Provided access to a range of networked information resources and services <br />that otherwise could never have been obtained by participating libraries; <br /> <br />Brought new users into participating libraries that otherwise may not have <br />used "traditional" library services or resources; <br /> <br />· Increased the visibility and credibility of participating libraries; <br /> <br />Provided valuable publicity for participating libraries as a public access <br />point to state-of-the-art technology and information services; <br /> <br />Served as a catalyst for participating libraries and their staff to move into <br />the electronic networked environment; and <br /> <br />Provided a workstation <br />otherwise could not have <br />libraries. <br /> <br />and additional information technology that <br />been purchased or obtained by participating <br /> <br />Other <br /> <br />key indicators of the success of the project include the following: <br /> <br />26% of users of the public access workstation were new users, i.e., they had <br />not previously visited the library. <br /> <br />· The public access workstation attracts both expert -- 44% -- and beginning <br /> users -- 48%. <br /> <br />35% of users of the public access workstations had no other means to access <br />the Internet except from participating OnLine at PA Libraries. Perhaps <br />equally interesting is that the other 65% do have access to the Internet <br />elsewhere {e.g., work, home, school), and still choose to use the public <br />access workstation. <br /> <br />Users of the workstations (on a scale of 1= Very much so and 5= Not at all) <br />rated finding the information they needed on the Internet, the ease of using <br />the Internet via the library, and the importance of having access via the <br />library bet~veen 1.7 and 2.2. Overall, therefore, users found that gaining <br />access to the Internet, using the workstation, and the information found on <br />the Internet to be of value. <br /> <br />McClure and Bertot October 1997 iii <br /> <br /> <br />