Author (Person) | Keery, Neville |
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Publisher | Chadwyck-Healey Ltd |
Series Title | European Access |
Series Details | No.6 December |
Publication Date | December 1998 |
ISSN | 0264-7362 |
Content Type | Overview |
Shaping factors in the future of European documentation: Events and new technologies shape organisations and societies. By 'events' I mean here unexpected happenings with widespread repercussions, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall or the current Asian economic crisis. In reflecting on European information policy for the tenth anniversary of European Access I would pick the Danish people's initial rejection of the Maastricht Treaty and the impact of new information technology as central policy-shaping factors since 1991 and for the foreseeable future. The difficulties experienced in a number of Member States in achieving the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty were accepted by governments and Community institutions as a signal that new information and communication priorities were essential if voter support for the future of the European Union was to be secured. Accepting its leadership role, the European Commission coming into office in 1993 set out a challenging policy and organisational agenda focused on information, communication and openness. The approach outlined then in a landmark collection of fourteen policy documents1 has been built on steadily since. Information, communication, openness: This pursuit of new information policy priorities has happily coincided with the priority Europe has been giving to the development of new technology, particularly in telematic applications. This technology is, of course, global. Thus, the access it offers to information is not just available to citizens of the European Union but to anyone interested anywhere in the world. The opening of the European Commission's webserver EUROPA in February 1995 - as a key element in the post-Maastricht campaign-brought with it a strengthening of worldwide awareness of Europe's political and technological advance. The importance of this cannot be underestimated. EUROPA has won recognition as one of the world's leading information sites at a time when the scheduled arrival of the euro is attracting global interest. Buzz words: I believe that the European Commission is firmly set to pursue its post-Maastrichttra jectory and to privilege electronic communication as the medium of the future. The criteria being used to assess specific information initiatives are openness, user-friendliness, proximity, partnership and dialogue. Interpreting such criteria is not always easy and can lead in day to day terms to important and difficult budgetary and organisational questions. Let me conclude with some purely personal predictions that I hope may be a correct reading of the balance of shaping factors and ideas rather than wishful thinking. Information professionals: Where European documentation is concerned, inter-institutional partnerships and networking between interested libraries and documentation centres will continue to develop both formally and informally. The strength and depth of such networking will develop even more quickly than in the last few years as library management systems and inter-connection become more sophisticated and new tools become available through successful electronic projects. There have been positive results in terms of policy development and high-lighting the value of libraries on EUROPA, resulting from administrative decisions within the European Commission giving the Unit managing the Central Library responsibility for the co-ordination of European Documentation Centres and aimed at encouraging its participation in EUROLIB and the grouping of European institutional libraries, There is now a platform in place which can help towards ensuring that citizens in any region of the Community may have access to a comprehensive and well managed collection of European documentation. A more structured approach to networking can also promote added value and help to reduce unnecessarily duplicated effort and resources. Openness and freedom of information will become more and more central to public administration in Europe. The trend towards easier access to more user friendly databases with no charge or password requirements will continue. Until the average use of personal computers in Member State households gets closer to Scandinavian figures there will be criticism that the importance of electronic information within the European Union is being exaggerated. The argument for more budget resources to bridge potential gaps between 'info-rich' and 'info-poor' will not be easy at a time when there is concern about economic growth and public expenditure. Library and documentation services must be able to defend themselves in cost benefit terms and accept regular evaluation. Signposts: Notes: Contact: Tel: +32-2-299-9018 |
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Subject Categories | Culture, Education and Research |
Countries / Regions | Europe |