Hi:
As the Manager of Information
Technology for a large urban library I
would like to put forward the suggestion that a
TLD for libraries be
established i.e., .lib.
A TLD such as this would assist
libraries in carving out a identity on
the Internet (lets face it having a TLD will
quickly become a status
symbol).
It will allow many libraries to
eliminate totally ridiculous domain
names. Take my libraries URL - public-library.calgary.ab.ca
- our
customer, staff and partners complain about it --
I would rather have -
www.calgarypublic.lib.
More importantly such a TLD will
assist libraries in dealing with the
extremely complex challenge of moving our institutions
forward in the
digital age.
Libraries face a very big challenge
in the digital age - just about
every librarian has had to answer the question
"why do we need libraries
when their is the internet" I will not even
attempt to answer this
question rather I would ask you to explore
library sites on the Internet
be they public, academic, school, government
or special libraries and
ask yourself whether or not they add value to
the content available on
the internet. I know they do. Libraries require
their own TLD.
Libraries are dedicating scarce
resources to put into place current information
technologies to enable effective sharing of
resources, trained and knowledgeable library
staff throughout the
communities that they serve, ensuring the
delivery of high quality
service
to customers when and where it is needed,
and in the appropriate
formats.
Thank you for allowing me to
make this suggestion.
Gilbert Bede
Calgary Public Library
