erhaps because of its name, most people think of the World Wide Web as a global medium, and use it at that level: a worldwide library, marketplace and meeting place. In their daily lives, however, they will need local information where to get clothes cleaned, where they can get childcare, what is playing at the cinema? There are many sources that people have traditionally used for this type of knowledge, such as telephone and business directories, advertisements or local newspapers. Increasingly, however, people are turning to the World Wide Web. In recent times, I have been working on a very local Website: Galway1 (http:! /www.galwayl.ie/), a search engine for sites connected with Galway city and county. Through this site, local people can find much of the everyday information that they need to get on with thier lives. Those outside of Galway can also find pointers to sites of relevance to them - businesses in the area, accomodation options, upcoming festivals, and so forth. Operating at a local level provides new opportunities for smaller organisations. They often have knowledge and information that can give them an advantage in reaching a particular audience and market. They can generally leverage these in more specific and useful ways than national or international organisations. For those with the ability and willingness to innovate, the Web allows them to try new ways to reach people and raise their profile. Operating at a glabal level also brings with it challenges and risks. Resources are generally limited, and it may be that a site built on a limited budget will be more damaging in the longterm (many of the sites registered with Galwayl are not very aesthetically pleasing). It is important for a small organisation to understand the dynamics of the Internet, and the need for speedy communication, upto-date technology and current content. Above all, it is important for a small Web site to be commercially viable. Operating at a local level means operating at a community level. In the context of the Internet, this can, in fact, amount to two interlinked groups: those who reside in the geographical area in question, and those who live outside it but have some connection with the place. There are Galwegians all over the world, many of whom are interested in what happens "at home". Some have even tried to register their sites, which have no real connection with Galway, on Galway1. People may still feel a strong connection with a place despite a distance of hundreds or thousands of miles; the Web provides an opportunity to capitalise on this. Through sites such as Galwayl, the Web becomes both a global and a local resource. More importantly, it becomes an everyday resource - part of the invisible fabric of information sources that we tap into in our daily existence. It is also a tool that can be used to build, strengthen and maintain communities. As broadband and always-on Internet access becomes increasingly widespread, this is a trend that we shall see continuing and growing in importance. • Thanks to Rob Smyth, Managing Director of Galwayl, for his input to this column. p R6ndn Kennedy ronank@acm.org +353-1-8749456 ICQ: 23713620 Computers and Society, September2000

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