UK funds e-government research: An e-government think tank has been set up by the UK government. The e-Government Integration and Systems Evaluation (e-GISE) Network, as it is officially known, is charged with identifying the challenges posed by e-government and defining key areas for research. Brunel University's School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics will head up the group, which will be funded by the government's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Among those involved in the group are representatives from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the e-Government Unit, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales, as well as figures from local government. The e-GISE's mission is to help local authorities realise the benefits of e-government technology and achieve return on investment. The think tank said it will do this by promoting national debate and identifying research strategies needed to improve understanding of e-government.
Hawaii launches digital library service: Hawaii's public library service has launched an online facility to provide round-the-clock access to audio books and e-books. Without leaving their homes, library members with an internet connection can download books from among hundreds of titles in formats suitable for a PC, Mac or PDA. To borrow a digital or audio book, customers need to visit the library website, install the free reader software and enter their Hawaii State Public Library System card number before they can download the file. When the lending period ends, the digital book is automatically returned to the library. "For the customer, this means no traffic and parking hassles, 24/7 access on all islands, automatic returns, no overdues, no fines, e-mail notification, no delivery delays, and increased privacy. For the staff, benefits include no physical space requirements, no re-shelving, no processing, no lost or damaged items, no shipping costs, timely order fulfilment, and immediate borrowing statistics," said State Librarian Jo Ann Schindler.
Virginia launches 'Wireless Alexandria' project: The city of Alexandria in the US state of Virginia is launching a scheme to give visitors to its Old Town free wireless internet access, reports NBC.com. The "Wireless Alexandria" project will last for one year and has the three-fold aim of promoting tourism, marketing the city as a high-tech hub, and testing the wireless service for future usage by the government. The municipal authorities plan to use wireless technology to improve the efficiency of city functions such as waste disposal; sensors installed in rubbish bins will inform officials when the containers are full. "Rarely do we have the opportunity to let the public use the same equipment we will be testing for government use," said Mayor William Euille. Anyone who has a Wi-Fi enabled laptop or PDA will be able to avail of the free service, which is designed for use mainly in outdoor areas of the Old Town.
New network to link up New Zealand agencies: Government agencies in New Zealand are set to begin sharing resources, thanks to the rollout of a high-speed secure network. State Services Minister Trevor Mallard said that the NZD14 million e-government project would improve collaboration between government agencies and reduce unnecessary costs and duplication of effort. The initiative involves the implementation of a fibre-optic network to link up agencies located in Wellington and the installation of a wide area network (WAN) to connect regional government offices. "A government department that currently couriers large data files across Wellington on magnetic tapes will be able to shift these files across a fibre-optic connection which will make that job quicker, cheaper and easier," said Minister Mallard, giving an example of how the new network will improve efficiency. Mallard added that all state sector agencies are expected to be connected to the network "in some way" by March 2008.
China Expert Technology wins e-government contract: The city government of Jinjiang in the Fujian province in China has awarded an e-government contract worth USD13 million to network infrastructure provider China Expert Technology. The contract covers the construction of various e-commerce facilities and forms part of the third phase of the city's e-government system. In February this year, China Expert Technology announced that it had won a contract to set up a national e-government system for Jinjiang. "In the third phase e-government project for Jinjiang city, we [will] design and construct a comprehensive e-commence system for the municipal government, which would enhance business activities between the municipal government, overseas investors and the public," said Huang Tao, chairman of the board of directors of China Expert Technology. Under the terms of the new contract, the IT implementation is due for completion in August 2006.
Autor: Sylvia Leatham
Quelle: ElectricNews, 10.08.2005
