GALILEO-Georgia's Virtual Library Marks A Decade of Service

亚特兰大(9月. 21) - When University System of Georgia librarians and information technology staff used the still-new Internet to electronically link campus libraries in 1995, few could have predicted the project's exponential growth. 被称为伽利略? (GeorgiA Library Learning Online) � this innovative digital resource now provides universal electronic library access for every 格鲁吉亚.

今天政府. Sonny 珀杜 and many individuals involved in GALILEO's creation and expansion noted it's 10th anniversary with a 亚特兰大庆祝活动.

"GALILEO has grown quickly to serve 格鲁吉亚s from Tybee Island to Dalton, from the big city to the farm," said 珀杜. “没有其他 state has the participation of all communities in the way that 伽利略做."

The University System of Georgia launched GALILEO in Sept. 1995, only 150 days after funding was approved by then Gov. 泽尔•米勒 以及格鲁吉亚大会. 最初只能通过 USG campus libraries, those involved in creating the online library quickly broadened its scope to include private academic libraries, the state's technical colleges, public libraries and public 学校. Today GALILEO is available through 2,500 institutions and is a 伙伴关系 among many state agencies, school districts, public libraries and private educational institutions.

Use of GALILEO has climbed nearly tenfold in 10 years, from approximately 5 million transactions (searches, full text articles 显示等.) in 1996 to almost 50 million transactions in 2005, said Merryll Penson, executive director of library services with the University System's Office of Information and Instructional 技术. "Thanks to GALILEO, 格鲁吉亚s now have free, on-line access to more than 100 数据库," said Penson. “这是一个巨大的数字 increase from when we began with just a few, tape-loaded 数据库."

One of GALILEO's most important offerings, established in collaboration with the University of Georgia Libraries, is the Digital Library of Georgia (DLG), a gateway to far-reaching resources regarding the state's history and culture.

The Digital Library of Georgia (DLG) debuted in June 2000. 与一个 single search, digital library users can locate items from across 60 different digitized collections from more than 40 libraries, archives and museums and from 80 agencies of state government. An integral part of the DLG is the New Georgia Encyclopedia, named by Library Journal as one of the "best web reference sources for 2004."

Through GALILEO, users also can access the Georgia Government Publications database, which contains more than 23,000 publications and is the winner of the American Association of Law Libraries 2003 Public Access to Government Information Award.

A Kids' Page was added in 2002 to make GALILEO even more useful to 格鲁吉亚的公民，彭森说.

One of the key benefits of using the Internet to create GALILEO is the financial savings individual libraries have made through this 伙伴关系. "Through this collaborative approach, GALILEO provides greater access to more materials at less cost than if each library had to purchase these resources individually," said Gov. 珀杜.

Any Georgia resident can gain access to GALILEO, either by visiting a public or school library with an Internet connection or by requesting a free password from such libraries and accessing GALILEO 数据库 from a home or workplace computer.

Looking ahead to the next decade, Penson said future improvements to GALILEO would mirror the increased expectations of savvy 互联网用户. "The Google experience has shaped user's expectations for accessibility and convenience," said Penson. Consequently, a three-year upgrade of GALILEO will improve the initiative's search function, improve and broaden existing electronic links between 数据库, and provide greater access to content and features from various GALILEO library websites.

Penson also noted that future plans call for the acquisition of new 数据库, including more 数据库 with content such as audio and 视频文件. In addition, the Digital Library of Georgia will 继续扩张. For example, DLG officials have received a $760,000 matching grant to create a civil rights digital library. The project will use historical news footage as part of a digital video archive to promote greater understanding of the civil rights 运动.

For more information on GALILEO, contact your local school or 公共图书馆可于网上浏览: www.伽利略.美国政府.edu