The Community Information Toolkit

Welcome to the Community Information Toolkit. This goal of the Toolkit is to provide public libraries and other institutions with the tools necessary to begin building a Community Information Network.

This Toolkit provides a 250 page Guidebook; a four-part introductory training video series; a set of PowerPoint files suitable for use in training efforts; and a set of demonstration software tools to provide a community calendar and a community forum. The Software section also includes complete, step-by-step instructions on installing Windows NT, Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), and the Toolkit demonstration applications.

See the Overview section for more information about the Toolkit components. Be sure to note the Toolkit copyright provisions.

The components of the Toolkit are provided via the Toolkit Web site, www.mel.org/citoolkit. Some organizations have also received the Toolkit in CD-ROM format. The contents of the CD-ROM are identical to the initial contents of the Web site.

Training the Trainers

The Community Information Toolkit is a multimedia collection of tools and tips for teaching public library staff and community partners how to get their local community information on-line. During this one day training session, trainers were taught how to use these tools in designing their own electronic community information curriculum.
The training included:

• A review of web site "best practices"
• Content selection guidelines
• Content conversion and maintenance issues
• Choosing technologies
• Working with digital images, audio and video

The creation of this Toolkit was sponsored by the Library of Michigan. Funding for the project came from the Ameritech Foundation. The Toolkit project was managed by Merit Inc.

Demonstration Sites

Two demonstration sites took part in this project:

• The Rochester Hills Public Library created a Web-accessible database of community history artifacts, primarily postcards from various points in time.The database uses Active Server Pages (ASP) and a Windows NT server running Microsoft Access. The postcards and other materials were digitized by a professional photographic processor onto Photo CD format, then converted to GIF or JPEG image format for display on the Web. The database enables multiple views of the same artifacts; for instance, a user could conceivably select items to inspect based on the date the postcard was written, the subject of the photograph on the postcard, or the name of the person to whom the postcard was addressed. See Greater Rochester History Online (GHRO)
• The Romeo District Library formed a community information networking team to establish a new community information Web site. The Library Network provided hands-on training for the Romeo team. In addition, Romeo installed a Web terminal with special adaptive technologies to serve the needs of people with visual or motor impairments. Romeo intends to make use of calendaring software to provide information on programs, events and schedules of the Parks and Recreation Department, STAR (Senior Transportation Through Advanced Reservation), and other community agencies.

Project Participants

• Project Management: Betty Van Dam, Merit Inc.
• Curriculum Development & Demonstration Site Training: Richard Truxall, The Library Network
• Toolkit Software: Charles R. Severance
• Toolkit Videos: Charles R. Severance, Richard W. Wiggins
• Toolkit Demonstration Web Site: Todd White, Merit Inc.
• Toolkit CD-ROM and Web Site: Charles R. Severance, Richard W. Wiggins
• Romeo District Library Demonstration Site Coordinator: Cynthia McIntyre
• Rochester Hills Public Library Demonstration Site Coordinator: Larry Neal
• Director of the Michigan Electronic Library (MEL): Sue Davidsen

Funding and Support

Toolkit development was funded by a grant from Ameritech. The Toolkit components are copyrighted materials of the Library of Michigan Foundation. They are provided for use by public libraries in Michigan and by other institutions wishing to create community information networks. Please see the copyright notice.