4. Providing On-line Public Information and Services
that Will Make Life Better for South Carolinians

In the long run by far the most important part of South Carolina's Information Highway will be the on-line information and services available to state citizens and businesses. Some of these resources will be developed by private companies for profit-making purposes. But many of the on-line resources that could benefit South Carolinians the most-by promoting economic development, saving people and businesses time and money, and reducing government costs-can be developed only by (or with the cooperation of) state and local governments and non-profit organizations. If these resources are not developed, then for many South Carolinians SCIway will be little more than a path to reach the rest of the Internet.

This primary goal of this chapter is to recommend strategies for developing and delivering on-line public information and services for South Carolina. We will begin by reporting the results of an e-mail survey that asked state Internet users to identify the types of public information and services that should be available on SCIway. Then we will identify the on-line public information resources and services that are already available-and those that are not. Finally, we will recommend some specific strategies for expanding and improving South Carolina's on-line public information resources and services.

4.1 Types of public information and services South Carolinians want to be able to access on-line

One of the first steps in developing commercial products or services is to find out what your potential customers want to buy. This is equally true for on-line public information and services. Even though South Carolinians are not likely to pay a fee for using most such resources, developing them will definitely cost time and money. Thus it is important for state and local governments officials to know what information and services citizens want on-line the most so they can set priorities and allocate scarce public resources effectively.

To determine citizen demand for different types of on-line public information and services, we conducted an e-mail survey of a sample of South Carolina Internet users. This SCIway Needs Survey asked two key questions:

1. What sorts of information about South Carolina's people, cities, towns, counties, economy, governments, schools, history, etc. do you feel should be available to state citizens through SCIway and the Internet? Just list items, but please be reasonably specific.

2. What sorts of state and local government services do you think should be available through SCIway and the Internet?

Survey respondents were also asked to identify the county where they lived and their home ZIP code, sex, race, approximate age, and approximate annual personal income.

The survey was conducted in late 1995 and early 1996, primarily with the help of 25+ South Carolina Internet access providers, colleges, state government agencies, and other organizations. These SCIway Needs Survey sponsors e-mailed the survey questionnaire to some or all of their subscribers or employees with a cover message explaining the purpose of the survey. Replies to the survey were automatically routed to a special Appalachian Council of Governments e-mail address.

In addition the survey was sent to the subscribers of three South Carolina e-mail discussion lists-the SCIway list (hosted by The Citadel), SCLIBN-L (a library-related list hosted by the University of South Carolina), and the South Carolina Association of Data Processing Directors' list (most of whose members are state government employees). The survey questionnaire was also published in at least two state newspapers (the Columbia State and the Spartanburg Herald-Journal), and readers were asked to send their responses to the Appalachian Council of Governments either by e-mail or through the U. S. Postal Service.

Finally, the survey questionnaire itself encouraged all recipients to forward the survey to "other South Carolinians who may be interested in the future of state network information and services."

More than 1,000 South Carolina residents-from 75 different Internet domains-responded to the SCIway Needs Survey. However, 81 percent of these responses came from the eight South Carolina Internet access providers and two state agencies:

OrganizationLocationNumber of Respondents
A World of Difference Charleston
277
Info AvenueStatewide
161
Hargray Telephone-InterstarHilton Head
76
South Carolina SuperNetColumbia
76
The CitadelCharleston
72
Netside NetworkColumbia
51
Horry Telephone CooperativeConway-Myrtle Beach
47
SC Department of Health and Environmental ControlStatewide
30
SIMSCharleston
25
GroupZ.NetAiken-North Augusta
21
Other Internet Domains
168
U. S. Postal Service
28
TOTAL
1,032

This survey could not have been successfully completed without the help of these 10 organizations-especially the Internet access providers. The participation of these companies was critical because their customers represent a variety of interests (occupations, geographic areas, etc.) and know enough about how the Internet works to conceive of possible "on-line public information and services." For many South Carolinians who have not yet used the Internet, questions about "what sorts of public information and government services you would like to see on SCIway" would not be meaningful.

Almost 75 percent of the survey respondents were men, and 95 percent were white. The estimated median age of those who marked an age category was 42, and the estimated median personal (not family) annual income of those who marked an income category was almost $42,000.

One of the strengths of the SCIway Needs Survey was that it did not provide people a convenient "shopping list" of public information resources and services and ask them simply to mark the ones they thought should be on-line. Rather, it required people to think of these information resources and services themselves . . . and list them in their survey reply. We feel this "open-ended question" approach-which requires some thought and effort on the part of survey respondents- produces results that more accurately reflect true citizen demand for on-line information and services.

SCIway Need Survey Results

Once the survey was completed, we began coding and categorizing respondents' suggestions. One of the first things we learned was that our distinction between public information (Question 1) and public services (Question 2) was not meaningful for many people, as they listed both information and service needs in responding to both questions. So we classified responses as information or service needs according to their wording rather than by the question that prompted them.

The vast majority of on-line information and service needs fell into one of ten broad categories. These categories are listed below in order of their popularity, followed by the number of responses (not respondents) that we grouped into each category. The expressed need for government information and services exceeded the other nine categories combined, and it was four times greater than the next highest category.

1. Government: information and services - 2,881

Local, state, and federal

2. Statistics: information - 648

Census reports, demographic data, economic data, etc.

3. Education: information and services - 466

School directories and calendars; admission and financial aid forms, etc.

4. Recreation, travel, and tourism: information and services - 367

Tourist attractions, state and county parks, accommodations, etc.

5. History: information - 277

About places, cities and towns, counties, state, significant events, sites, etc.

6. Business: information - 260

Directories of businesses and other employers, economic development

7. Jobs and careers: information and services - 260

Job openings, application forms, career trends, etc.

8. Community information - 231

Calendars of events, dining and entertainment, newcomer information, etc.

9. Maps: information - 165

Of cities and towns, counties, regions, state, election districts, streets, etc.

10. Libraries and archives: information and services - 136

The top 10 specific types of public information that South Carolinians feel should be available on-line through SCIway were as follows:

1. Directories of elected officials, appointed officials, and government departments, agencies, offices, boards, commissions, and employees

2. Recreation, travel, and tourism information-attractions, state and county parks, and hiking trails and camping site maps

3. Demographic data for cities and towns, counties, metropolitan areas, regions, and state

4. Job opening listings, especially for local, state, and federal government jobs; job requirements, on-line applications

5. Historical information about state, counties, cities, towns, places, significant events, wars and battles, and notable citizens

6. Directories of government services that clearly explain what services are provided by what governments, agencies, and offices; the geographical boundaries of political subdivisions and service districts; and who to contact about specific services, how to contact them, where to go to obtain services, and hours of operation

7. Tax information-instructions, rates, laws, rules, assessment procedures, exemptions, deadlines; lists of frequently asked tax questions with answers

8. Ability to send electronic mail to elected officials and government departments, agencies, offices, and employees-in order to ask and answer questions, request services, express opinions, and provide feedback

9. Economic, income, and employment data for cities and towns, counties, metropolitan areas, regions, and state

10. Information about pending state and local legislation-number, title, and text of House and Senate bills and proposed local ordinances; sponsors, current status, legislative calendars, agendas

Here are the top five types of public services that South Carolinians feel should be available on-line through SCIway:

1. On-line library resources and services-catalogs, books and periodicals, holds, interlibrary loan requests, renewals, inquiries, ability to ask questions by e-mail

2. File, report, pay, and appeal taxes on-line; print tax forms

3. Apply for and renew vehicle registrations

4. Register to vote on-line; print voter registration forms

5. Renew driver's licenses

4.2 On-line public information and services currently available on SCIway

In early 1995 there was almost no information about South Carolina governments and public organizations and services on SCIway. Ten state colleges had Gopher servers; five colleges and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources had World-Wide Web sites; and about 15 colleges and county libraries had on-line library catalogs.

The amount and variety of on-line public information available to South Carolinians have increased exponentially during the past two years. For example, more than 40 state colleges and universities now have Web sites, as do 50-plus state government agencies and offices. Thirty library catalogs can be accessed through SCIway.

The growth in the quantity of on-line information provided by South Carolina state government has been particularly impressive. Most of these information resources have been developed by state employees and can be accessed through state government's World-Wide Web home page (http://www.state.sc.us).

On-line local government information resources are being developed at a slower pace. About 20 municipal governments and three county governments now have Web sites. Most of these sites were created within the past six months by local Web developers, and all are hosted by local Internet service providers.

Close to 200 South Carolina non-profit organizations and groups (ranging from churches to political parties) now have Web sites. Most of these sites are hosted by local Internet service providers, but some are hosted by national or regional organizations. (The upstate of South Carolina is served by the Appalachian Web located at http://www.acog.greenville.sc.us)

At least 50 South Carolina companies are in the business of hosting World-Wide Web sites. About two-thirds of these companies are also Internet access providers. All of these companies host Web sites for businesses and individuals, and many host sites for local governments, schools, and public organizations as well-often at no charge.

At least 60 South Carolina companies-and countless individuals-design and develop Web sites.

Most South Carolina state and local government Web sites are part organizational chart and part telephone directory. They typically identify the various departments of a government or offices of a department, and list telephone numbers citizens can call-or addresses they can go to-to obtain answers to questions or services. Many of these sites mistakenly assume that citizens know what services are provided by which governments, departments, and offices.

Few state or local government Web sites actually provide citizens answers to common questions, on-line forms they need to fill out, or information resources they can search. Notable exceptions include a few city home pages that prominently address "frequently asked questions"; college and county libraries' on-line catalogs; and the complete text of House and Senate bills, state laws, and state agency regulations provided by Legislative Printing and Information Technology Resources.

While a significant and growing amount of basic public information is available on SCIway, these resources are scattered across more than 100 different computers and are often hard to find. To help people locate the information they need quickly, The Citadel has developed a subject-oriented directory of South Carolina on-line information called SCIway Web (http://www.sciway.net).

Finally, here are the top five on-line public information resources and services that South Carolinians want most but that are not yet available on SCIway:

1. Annotated directories of government services that clearly explain what services are provided by what governments, departments, and offices. These directories are needed most at the local level, and developing good ones will definitely require intergovernmental cooperation.

2. E-mail addresses for elected officials and government departments, agencies, offices, and employees.

3. Comprehensive information about what jobs are available in South Carolina-especially the job listings of the South Carolina Employment Security Commission.

4. Tax information, on-line forms, answers to e-mail questions-for all types of state and local taxes.

5. On-line state and local service systems that enable citizens to quickly find information and answer questions; apply for services, licenses, and permits; and pay fees and taxes-without having to call or visit a government office.

4.3 Recommendations

1.1 The State of South Carolina should establish an appointed on-line information access board similar to the ones that direct the Information Network of Kansas (INK), Nebraska@Online, and the Access Indiana Information Network (AIIN). This board should be responsible for promoting and facilitating electronic access to public information generated and gathered by state government agencies.

a. This board should have ten members, who should be appointed by the Governor. It should include representatives of state agencies that produce information, professional associations, businesses, and interested individuals.

b. The board should be advised by task forces that recommend new services, application development priorities, format and design features, operational policies and procedures, and pricing structures. Like the board, these task forces should include representatives of state agencies, professional associations, businesses, and interested individuals.

c. Through a competitive proposal process, the board should contract the development of a one-stop, on-line state information delivery system to a private company. This company should provide the capital and staff necessary to develop and operate this information access system. No public funds should be used for the creation or operation of the system, and the contract for managing it should be rebid every five years.

d. The on-line information access system developed should provide limited interest, value added banking, legal, insurance, and other business-related information to subscribers who pay an annual fee, and in some cases, statutory and/or usage (transaction) charges. Usage charges should be waived or reduced for start-up businesses and bona fide public interest organizations.

e. The on-line access system should provide general interest information (legislative information, directory information, state agency regulations and application forms, job listings, etc.) free of charge to everyone through the Internet. The cost of providing this information should be paid from the profits earned by the system's business-oriented, limited interest information services.

f. The board's enabling legislation should require all state agencies to provide necessary information and assistance, as requested. In return agencies should be able to bill the board for the actual costs of providing this information and assistance, as specified in contracts between individual agencies and the board. Agencies should also be able to publish free, general interest information independently.

g. Access to information about individual citizens should be governed by existing state and federal laws and regulations.

1.2 City, county and regional governments, public service districts, and school districts should work with state government's on-line information access board, commercial Internet service providers and Web developers, or local colleges and universities to provide on-line public information and services to the citizens they serve.

1.3 The State of South Carolina should establish a challenge grant program that helps local and regional councils of governments provide their citizens on-line information resources and services. This program should be funded by annual legislative appropriations for three fiscal years, beginning in FY 1997-98. The grant matching percentage for poorer governments should be less than the percentage required for wealthier governments.

1.4 South Carolina's colleges and universities, libraries, and school districts should form network information cooperatives. These co-ops would have the buying power necessary to negotiate favorable local, regional and statewide contracts with companies that publish widely used electronic resources (such as directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, periodical indexes, and full-text databases). In addition the General Assembly should establish an annual matching fund program that provides additional incentives for the formation and long-term growth of these information co-ops.

1.5 The structure of World-Wide Web sites that provide public information and services should reflect the perspective of citizens who want to find information and use services rather than the viewpoint of government employees who provide information and services. These sites should also have clear, concise text, and their pages should display quickly. Designers should never forget that the primary purpose of on-line public information resources and services is to save citizens time.