The Website of the Public Library Information Technology as an Agent of Change: Case Study of “Mateh Asher” Regional Library, Israel

ABSTRACT In the information society, the public library has an opportunity to strengthen its status and exploit the skills of its librarians with the help of the new information technology. One of the main means for doing this is the library website. The present article analyzes the website, called “Library at Home,” of the Mateh Asher Regional Library in Israel. This special site constitutes a fascinating example of the integration of needs and activities. The site enables lending books by e-mail and bringing them into the home itself. It exposes the residents to search engines, as well as community and social sites in the world and in Israel, and offers guidance on how to make use of them. With the help of the site the library has also opened a virtual reference department, where residents can turn to the expert librarian with specific questions. With the site's help the library has become a community center for supplying specialized information, as well as a tool of social and cultural integration for the whole region.