ICT is vital to the Branching Out programme. From the beginning the project countered the perception that books and computers are in some way antagonists and emphasised how books and ICT can work together.
The Board took an early decision to invest in new choosing software being developed by Applied Pyschology Research Ltd. APR have developed unique software using advanced collaborative filtering techniques. Opening the Book worked with APR to create a new approach to choosing books; instead of choosing by title, author or genre, the user can select the emotional mood of the read. The Branching Out Librarians are creating data for the software by reading two books a month in their own time and scoring them according to agreed guidelines. whichbook.net was launched at the PLA Conference in October 2002.
The Branching Out website www.branching-out.net was launched in October 1999 at the Public Library Authorities Conference. This is the first dedicated site for library staff and other professionals in reader development. Averaging 1000 hits a day, the site is fast becoming a key tool for the public library world as a whole, not just the 33 Branching Out authorities. Easy to navigate and beautiful to look at, the site has information on every aspect of Branching Out, much of it authored by the Branching Out librarians. Resources include book information, toolkits of promotional ideas for projects, downloadable staff training sessions, customisable press releases, sample reader questionnaires - the material seeks to exploit the potential of the web to the full.
Email has become the preferred communication tool of Branching Out librarians. Where the project began with twice monthly mailings, administrative, project and programme information is now circulated electronically. The smaller project and regional groups are also using email and this has speeded up communications, for example, to arrange meetings. Partner organisations - publishers, booksellers, universities - appreciate the speed and efficiency of communicating with librarians in this way.
Libraries are expected to move fast on NOF training and The People's Network. Branching Out has pioneered the use of web and email technology to support this change.
