WebJunction:

An Online Center for

Learning and Training

WebJunction Background

• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. Library Program– 46,000 computers– 11,000 libraries in the United States and Canada– Five-year initiative – Targeting public libraries serving less-affluent communities

• May 2002: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded OCLC and partners a three-year grant

• Purpose: – Carry forward the Foundation’s work– Build a Web-based, public access computing community for learning

and training and supporting each other

Our Philosophy

Read

Learn

Join In!

Community Partner Program

Pilot Program: Began in June, 2004 for the State Libraries of Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, New Mexico, and Washington.

Customized Content and Services

• Co-Branded Service: Users will be able to navigate between Community Partner web sites and the global WebJunction

• Localized Content: Community Partners will be able to customize content for the libraries they serve.

• Community Specific Forums: Members will continue to be able to access the global forums as well as partner specific forums

• Community Specific Learning Center: Members will continue to be able to access the global course catalog as well as partner specific courses.

WebJunction Quick Stats

• 115,000+ Unique Visitors• 11,287 Registered Members • Top 10 States:

• Texas – 477• Ohio – 459• Michigan – 419• Washington – 493• Illinois – 359• Florida – 399• Iowa – 373• California – 373• New York – 328• Colorado - 403• Pennsylvania – 328

Members by Job Role

Members by Population Served

WebJunction Learning Center

Online courses, downloadable lessons, training tips and other tools

Learning Center Statistics

Self-paced Online Courses are popular: • 9577 total enrollments in Learning Center by 3520 unique learners

• WebJunction’s…– Certificate of Completion at end of course

• Troubleshooting: 460 enrollments• Searching the Web: 489• Browsing the WWW: 316• Evaluating Web Sites: 251• Media Relations: 124• Designing a Library Web Site: 153

• Popular Third-party Courses:• HTML: 284• Intro to PCs: 287• Windows Office 2000: 293

Learning Center Course EnrollmentMay 2003-Present

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Courses

Users

New: E-Train Clearinghouse

•Creation funded through IMLS•Searchable database of digital courses and programs offered through schools of Information Science, state libraries, regional associations•Information on grants and scholarships

•Working on user requirements now•Beta release in June 2005•Final release in September, 2005

•Content development with partners begins in October

New: Community Partner ProgramDistributed Learning Management

•Course registration and management•Course authoring•Course catalogs•User registration and management•Reporting and evaluation

New: “Workshop Central”Building Communities of Interest at WJ

•Spanish Language Outreach•WebJunction.org/Spanish

•Possibilities in future: •Rural Library Sustainability

Future Plans for the Learning Center

•More self-paced online courses

New Tools for training delivery•Synchronous Learning Tools

•Ability to offer cohort-based, pre-set programs

•Managing Public Access Computers Program (MPAC)

•Learning/training content and skills assessments in 5 areas: Technology, Resource Development, Planning, Advocacy, Training•Ability for libraries to get a snapshot of staff skills needed to sustain public access computing

Presenter

Elizabeth Kellison, Program Manager, WebJunction

Kellisoe@oclc.org