Libraries and museums traditionally have been the cornerstones of informal, lifelong learning opportunities in American communities. In the past few years, partly in response to the leadership of the Institute for Museum & Library Services, these two types of institutions have begun working together more closely to maximize their synergistic value to the public.

Despite this progress, however, cooperative initiatives have largely been limited to museums and libraries that are close geographic neighbors. This has limited the public’s access to the wealth of resources in museums that are outside their proximate communities, as well as to the learning opportunities that could result from creative cooperative projects between local libraries and non-local humanities and scientific institutions. This effect is particularly pronounced in rural communities, where local museum resources are limited in both number and scope.

The Windows on the World (WOW) project addresses the status quo by developing and demonstrating ways that museums and other informal learning providers can establish a "virtual presence" in distant communities through interactive videoconferencing links to, and joint projects with, California public and K-12 libraries.

The goal of WOW is to develop successful models for how public and school libraries can use technology for community enrichment through the delivery of live educational content from museums and other types of learning providers to which residents or students might not otherwise have access.

In its first fiscal year, October 2000 through September 2001, five Windows on the World providers produced more than 40 program sessions, reaching more than 1000 Californians. In its second year, October 2001 through September 2002, six WOW providers will produce programs for 90 separate library audiences.

Videoconference programming will be of four types:

		Programs for K-12 classes
		Programs for children or young adults in informal situations (i.e., summer reading programs)
		Training for librarians and/or teachers in use of on-site or online museum resources
		Programs for adult or family audiences

Audiences participating in each videoconference will be surveyed regarding how they valued the content of the program, and what they thought of the technology. Results of these evaluations will be shared among all content providers and libraries participating in the project, so improvements in content/presentation can be made as the project progresses.

Windows on the World is of statewide significance because it will develop distance educational models that any library in the state can adopt to import educational content from remote museums and other types of informal learning institutions. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the pioneering work done to foster museum/library collaboration through this project will pave the way for additional museums and content providers to offer technology-based programming in the future, which will result in a richer array of offerings available to libraries and the communities they serve.