Boulder Community Nework Update
Madeline Gonzalez
*** Boulder Community Network Update ***
June 1, 1994
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What is BCN?
The Boulder Community Network is intended to be a comprehensive web of
information and communication services that apply information technology
to the greatest benefit of all Boulder County citizens. The BCN will
provide on-line access to local and national information for the general
populace in order to promote civic participation, educational excellence,
economic vitality, and community involvement.
(If you'd like more information, please refer to our prototype server
at http://bcn.boulder.co.us or contact me at made...@spot.colorado.edu).
____________________________________________________________________________
Update
Below is a partial listing of recent activities that "BCN" and the
people that comprise it have been involved in, and a description of
the kinds of activities we welcome your participation in.
(Note, with most BCN folks I use just first names; please refer to our online
"Who We Are" section for any clarifications).
Recent Activities/Events:
- We have formed a BCN organizational structure comprising:
Management:
- Ken Klingenstein (Director, CU Computing & Network Services)
- Oliver McBryan (Professor, CU Computer Science)
- Steve Jones (Associate Dean, CU Journalism)
Coordinator: Madeline Gonzalez
Advisory Boards
- Community Advisory Board
- Policy Advisory Board
- Technical Advisory Board
- We have a prototype server available on Internet (accessible via Mosaic,
URL=http://bcn.boulder.co.us, or telnet to bcn.boulder.co.us). Check it out!
Of particular interest are regular uploads from the County and City,
the Employment and Training Services section (working with a consortium of all
the agencies in the County that provide these services), a very healthy Library
section, the online Campus Press, and much much more :-). Many thanks to
all the Tech Advisory folks who are helping develop BCN; thanks to Derek
for all his help with information transfers and uploads.
- We are now providing access to the collaborative Boulder Valley School
District online student publication, "The Vocal Point" (as well
as the BVSD gopher/WWW site)
- We developed and submitted a TIIAP (Telecommunications and Information
Infrastructure Assistance Program) proposal to the NTIA (National
Telecommunications and Information Administration) for additional funds
(primarily for additional access sites, modem pool and maintenance, etc.)
- We have begun working with folks at Signal Productions, to enable all
their kiosks to access BCN information
- We have begun working out the connectivity details and training programs
at our two initial community sites (Boulder Public Library,
Longmont Public Library), and our two initial target sub-community sites
(Project Self-Sufficiency, Senior Center), with equipment donated as
part of an Apple Library of Tomorrow award
- In particular, at PSS we have distributed surveys to gauge where the
participants are as far as computer/network literacy, where their career
interests lie, and will be developing a training program tailored to them,
which can then be modified as necessary at other community sites.
I am working closely with the PSS Director, Susanne Roser, the United Way's
Community Services Director, Peggy Rueda, and a CU doctoral student,
Catherine Weldon on this
- We have begun developing "BCN Policies", and formed a group that will
focus on this on an ongoing basis. Many thanks to Neal and Bryan Griffin
for their time and energy devoted to this
- Ken and I articipated in Apple's "Ties That Bind" Conference on Community
Networking: Ken participated in a discussion session on K-12 and Community
Networks; I hosted a session on "What Is a Successful Community Network".
- I joined the County Information and Referral (I&R) Committee, where I am
helping them to map out a county-wide strategy for human and social services
I&R, including
- developing process (online and human components) for I&R
- putting the contents of United Way's Red Book online
- ensuring means of access to this for all the various categories of
agencies (County, City, private non-profits, etc.), with their varying
computer and networking capabilities (varying from on the County LAN
to low-end standalone PC)
- I'm developing a survey which will be handed out to all the
agencies in the Red Book, to gauge where they're each at as
far as computer/networking capabilities
- I joined the United Way's Community Problem Solving Committee; am
helping organize all the various community resource/needs assessments
that have been done, and initially at least having the list with contact
information online on BCN. Working with Margie Freeman and Inid of the
United Way, and Barbara Gigone of Boulder County Community Services
- Neal gave BCN presentation at Press Women's Association Conference
- Neal, Wally, and Kendall Southwick gave an Intro to BCN training
session for librarians at Boulder Public Library
- Steve Jones and I talked with the Gunnison Technology Group, who is
in the process of setting up their own community network, and at a
Media class at Western State College
- And lots more! I've started an online section for just this
sort of "update" activity, check it out on BCN's "About BCN" section.
We've also started a mailing list (bcn-community), and I encourage
your comments and participation. If you'd like to join:
Send mail to
list...@lists.colorado.edu
with the message
subscribe bcn-community <your name>
We have a wonderful group of folks involved, thanks to everyone who's
helping to make this happen!
Madeline Gonzalez, Coordinator
Boulder Community Network