We experienced freedom to explore alternate avenues, to innovate, to take risks in ways that would have been difficult under the direct control of a district council.

patrons made it clear that while they appreciated that computers were a necessary part of a modern library, they did not consider them the most important part.

Our overall objective was to source a library system which: could be installed before Y2K complications immobilised us, was economical, in terms of both initial purchase and future license and maintenance support fees, ran effectively and fast by dial-up modem on an ordinary telephone line, used up-to-the minute technologies, looked good, and was easy for both staff and public to use, took advantage of new technology to permit members to access our catalogue and their own records from home, and let us link easily to other sources of information – other databases and the Internet. If we could achieve all of these objectives, we’d be well on the way to an excellent service.

profound concept: that any person could share information with anyone else, anywhere.

Web evolved into a powerful, ubiquitous tool because it was built on egalitarian principles and because thousands of individuals, universities and companies have worked, both independently and together as part of the World Wide Web Consortium

Large social-networking sites are walling off information posted by their users from the rest of the Web.