Internet Directory - To organize the Internet by applying traditional library tools

Can order be created where there is chaos? Ten years ago, when the Internet was in its infancy, many argued that the Internet could not be organized. Being librarians, we disagreed, and went ahead to create an Internet Directory. We argued, that if a book collection can be organized using a classification system, so can a collection of links. And soon we found out that it works very well.

We also discovered that many users like to browse the Internet just like they browse the bookshelves in a library or a bookstore. The search engines do a great job in finding specific items, but not so good when you want information on general subjects. Using a time-honoured classification system, comprising literally all subjects, makes the directory maintenance much easier and new subjects can be added without upsetting the original outline.

The target group for our directory is the same as for a public library in general. This means that when selecting resources to add, we exclude the trivial as well as the very academical, concentrating on the mainstream. The collection of links are roughly divided fifty-fifty between Nordic and mainly English language resources. The directory though, primarily targets Swedish users, focusing on links from Sweden and the Nordic countries. The total number of links is approximately 20,000 on over 200 different web pages.

The Mölndal City Library Internet Directory is something of a success story. It is used widely by the general public as well as specific user groups such as libraries, educational institutions, private companies and Swedes living abroad. It also illustrates the fact that the Internet is democratic in so far as that even a moderately sized local library, can assume the role of being a national resource, provided that both the timing and the content is right.

For more information:

Bert Hoflund
Deputy Head of Mölndal City Library