Community Networking Conference, page 5 The First Galleria Second Day of Conference After an early morning walk to the castle, the cathedral, and the beautiful shopping mall, Galleria V. Emanual, I replaced lost calories at a bakery near the hotel and returned to my room to get ready for the second wave of presentations. Michael Mulquin of Communities On Line in the United Kingdom, talked about the varied CN efforts in Manchester, Trimdon, Newton, and Brighton; CINNI (Community Information Network Northern Ireland); and the formation of the national group, which was holding its meeting just after the Milan meeting. Also from the United Kingdom, Irene Neilson (ien@csc.liv.ac.uk) talked about the Liverpool Express, a library-based access and training project run by the University of Liverpool. Three phases of projects were outlined: serving the most underprivileged areas, areas of business concentration, and finally a major shopping area--all in Merseyside. Vichi Cannada Bartoli is an administrator in the city government working with libraries and the cultural sector. They used RCM (Milan Civic Network) for their own internal discussions and have found that the hierarchy is somewhat flatter and more responsive to citizens than before. Bartoli sees the libraries as important centers of technological diffusion. I met the head systems administrator for the main public library in Milan. After the day's meetings, Sergio Seghetti (bibcommi@isanet.it) gave me a quick tour of the 18th-century public library near the cathedral. Most of it was closed for renovation, and they seemed even more cramped for space than they would normally be. Seghetti is trying to help in the spread of computer technology within the library system, but they are short-staffed, and money from the city is, as in many other libraries, not sufficient for all they want to do. I saw a mix of Olivetti typewriters, terminals, and late model Wintel machines spread about private and public areas. I know Europeans must get used to the juxtaposition of new technology and tapestries that are centuries old, hung on walls that are even older, but it never ceases to assault my senses--not that I'm expecting just illuminated manuscripts to be on display. Continue Overview | Digital Photography Course | Science with eMates | Spotlight Essay | Book Review | Community Networking | '97 | News Page One | Find It | Apple Computer, Inc. | Contact Us | Help