As you read about the dark side of the Internet and reflect on the concerns raised by Al Fredrickson in his From the State essay, you may wonder why the Minnesota Institute of Public Health (MIPH) and other health, social service, and education organizations have made significant investments of time and money to obtain the equipment and professional expertise necessary to produce and disseminate information on the Internet through the World Wide Web (WWW).
These questions and others were seriously considered by staff at MIPH as we prepared to develop a Web site specifically devoted to providing accurate, timely and useful information about health topics for our clients. As we began to consider our answers to each of these questions, it became clear to us that simply by producing a new Web site, we broadened our client base to include anyone in any country in the world who had access to the Internet. This fact was very evident to us as we received our first request for information from an Italian businessman (and Internet user) who was concerned about young people in Italy involved in alcohol related traffic crashes. He requested information from us that he could then share with bar owners about the hazards of youthful drinking.
We have become increasingly aware of the value of the Internet as we incorporated it into our reference library services. The Internet has enhanced our ability to access and provide information. For example, an increasing number of Minnesota teachers are asking for guidance in directing students to accurate electronic information specific to alcohol and drugs. Not only are we able to give recommendations, but we can do so through an e-mail message, thus streamlining the process of getting the students to the sites.
Print cannot compete with electronic resources when we receive requests that are of a time sensitive nature, such as up to the minute trend information, press releases, or the deciphering of slang terms. Generally, by the time a slang term is published in a print source, a new set of terms have evolved.
As all of us consider how the digital information age will impact our personal and professional lives, it is important to recognize that in some cases, electronic information exchange may not only be speedy and efficient, it may be our only choice! For example, NCADI recently announced that it will no longer provide certain resources in a print format. For those who want access to those resources, the Internet becomes essential. Our Web site will maintain links to NCADI and the Join Together databases, so that our clients can continue to access both national and Minnesota specific information about prevention topics.
In addition to published documents, the Internet also allows the exchange of information, opinions, and experiences among and between people who are connected to the system. In Minnesota, the use of e-mail by MN Star of the North staff and Steering Committee members has enabled them to communicate information easily and quickly among and between the more than 30 people involved in providing direction for the Coalition. An early evaluation of the Star of the North Coalition members use of technology suggest that this use of the Internet has great potential for increasing the flow of information about prevention efforts, successes, and concerns among Minnesotans interested in safeguarding the public's health.
The Gambling Problems Resource Center has used our Web site to publish an up-to-date listing of all GA and GAMANON meetings throughout Minnesota. The listing is available to any social service agency, treatment center, private counselor, or person interested in knowing when and where help is available.
In each of these examples, the Internet has allowed rapid communication of important information to large numbers of people in a way that is timely and cost effective. Other modes of communication could have accomplished the transmission of the information, but the Internet allowed the information to flow more quickly, required less staff time and energy, and enabled recipients of the information to respond immediately to the communication. In these ways, the Internet can be used efficiently and effectively to provide useful information to people in direct counterpoint to the many other confusing messages that are now available.
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Minnesota Prevention Resource Center
2720 Highway 10
Mounds View, MN 55112
763-427-5310
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