From PLATO (1960), Project Gutenberg (1971), up through Wolfram Alpha 
(2009), there have been 11+ public computing projects invented in 
Champaign-Urbana, many with leadership from libraries and library 
schools.  Thursday and Friday we will be hearing from founders and 
others.  We're aiming to help the next 50 years be at least as 
innovative.  Public computing is as basic as public education, mass 
literacy ... and public libraries... have been for a democratic and 
sustainable society.

http://go.illinois.edu/50years -- will be webcast

Interested to hear about similar history on other campuses.  We need to 
draw these lines for all to see.

all best,

kate

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http://people.lis.illinois.edu/~katewill