Amelia Gibson and Drs. John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure with other Information Institute staff at Florida State University (http://www.ii.fsu.edu) recently completed a study Florida Public Libraries and E–Government: Services, Issues, and Recommendations. The purpose of the study was to identify the E–Government needs of patrons who access government–related information through public libraries and current public library E–Government practices. The final report of the study is available through the following link. Florida Public Libraries and E–Government: Services, Issues, and Recommendations.

The E–Government study demonstrates that public libraries are an integral part of E–Government delivery in Florida as service providers. Moreover, for many Floridians who do not have access to computers or the Internet, the public library is the only place to engage in the democratic process and open government. Indeed, the majority of survey respondents report they do not own computers, and they use the Internet at the library because they do not have to pay for the service. State and federal E–Government information resources are the most frequently used and the majority of participants search for government forms.

The findings also indicate an increase in E–Government requests within public libraries that given current trends in E–Government will not decrease in the near future. Based on these developments, the study offers a number of recommendations:

• Libraries should reach a statewide consensus on how best to provide E–Government services and resources;
• Libraries within the state of Florida should form a consortium to better leverage E–Government resource maintenance and exchange best practices;
• Libraries and state agencies should collaborate on the design and implementation of E–Government services and resources;
• Library staff training in E–Government should be increased; and
• State and local government should directly support libraries as providers of E–Government services and resources.

Public libraries are essential providers of E–Government services and resources. They can serve as access points to public access technologies, government information providers, gateways to government services, and technology and government services training centers.