Gateshead libraries won the first Charter Award for making IT
accessible to the local community
Gateshead Library Service has just won the Government's first
Charter Mark Award for IT Innovation, writes Mike
Simons.
The library service was chosen because of its application of
technology to improve the delivery of services to citizens,
particularly to disabled people living in Gateshead, and for its
imaginative use of media including the Internet, video, audio tapes
and interactive television.
The Charter Mark awards were this year sponsored by IT services
company ICL, and are seen by ministers as an important part of
their drive to modernise public services.
Bill MacNaught, director of libraries, arts and lifelong
learning, says, "We are delighted to win this award and I think a
lot of the praise has to go to the staff of Gateshead libraries who
continue to show complete commitment to improving services to the
community."
The library service teamed up with cable company Telewest to
provide 40,000 households with information via interactive TV
covering local and civic news, social events and local history.
Gateshead provides free Internet access to anyone over eight
years old, in all 18 of its libraries and also in the mobile
library service. A staff member with sign language skills is
employed in the libraries to help provide video conferencing
facilities.
The organisation has developed thenortheast.com Web site which
provides a local news service and opportunities in lifelong
learning, training and employment.
Gateshead also runs a scheme called Access to Information and
Reading Services. This provides a daily talking newspaper on
cassette to 500 people in the borough who have difficulty reading
print. This service generates £125,000 in revenue for Gateshead
council and is Britain's third largest producer of transcribed
material. It is is used by B&Q, BT and HSBC to provide
information for their customers in Braille.
The library service also manages the council's Web site
- Know of an innovative public sector project? If so e-mail
Mike
Simons
Project partners
- Gateshead Library Service