FEATURE ARTICLE

Internet 101

A study funded by the Illinois Association of Park Districts provides
the history of the Internet and steps for developing a Web site

BY MICHAEL W. KLITZINC, M.A. Ed., AND JOSEPH D. TEAFF, Ed.D.

In the face of the new millennium, we have become a society of "instant information." There is more information available to people today than during any other period in history. This is partially due to the growth and popularity of the Internet and World Wide Web. In addition to being a great source of information, the Internet is allowing businesses and organizations to improve customer service, productivity, and communications. It has provided a new means of marketing goods and services to and for the public.

As the popularity of the Internet and World Wide Web continues to grow, it is important for park and recreation agencies to explore the possibility of establishing a Web site on the Internet. Based on a study funded by the Illinois Association of Park Districts, this article provides commissioners and professionals with background information about the Internet and World Wide Web, plus identifies how a Web site can benefit a park and recreation agency and provides an outline for establishing one.

History of the Internet and the World Wide Web

The Internet can trace its roots back to the Department of Defense and the 1960s. The Pentagon was seeking a means by which an unlimited number of computers could communicate and interact with each other. It desired a system that would not rely on one central computer which could be vulnerable in a nuclear attack. In 1969, the ARPANET (Advance Research Projects Agency Network) was funded and became the prototype for the modern Internet.

The ARPANET quickly spread to several universities and businesses, where revisions and improvements were made. During this stage, electronic mail (e-mail) and electronic bulletin boards were designed. With the advent of e-mail, people were able to send messages or letters to each other through the Internet. Electronic bulletin boards, much like traditional bulletin boards, allowed people to post information to be viewed by many others. University faculty and researchers found these communication tools to be an inexpensive means of communicating with each other.

Perhaps the most significant development was the creation of the communications protocol called Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol. This invention provided a standard way for different computers to interact and communicate with each other. It is also from this protocol that the Internet received its name.

Prior to 1991, the Internet was primarily subsidized by the government and restricted to nonprofit, educational, and government organizations. In 1991, the restriction against commercial sites on the Internet was removed. Since then, the Internet has deveoped into a collection of 300,000-plus servers located in more than 75 different countries. The servers are interconnected by highspeed telecommunication lines that were originally subsidized by the government. These servers and interconnections work as the foundation of the Internet and now receive their funding from government, universities, and commercial organizations.

No single entity has direct authority over the Internet and no one owns the Internet. Standards for the Internet are adopted by the Internet Architecture Board, which is appointed by a voluntary association of Internet member networks.

From its inception, the Internet has been freely accessible, offering vast amounts of information to its users. Free access refers to the right of any individual or organization to place information on the Internet. Although the Internet is available for anyone's use, special equipment is required to use the Internet. The basic hardware requirements are a computer, monitor, modem, telephone line, and an access point to the Internet.

Since individuals and most businesses do not own an Internet server, they must rely on access from Internet Service Providers (ISP's) such as America On-Line, AT&T WorldNet and Prodigy. These providers usually charge monthly service fees, and sometimes hourly fees, for the use of their access equipment. Many universities, including

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Web-Speak A Glossary of Terms domain name - The address or standardized means of locating a Web page on the Internet. Also sometimes referred to as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). electronic mail (e-mail) - Basic Internet service that facilitates the exchange of text messages between different computer users. freenet - Local community network which offers Internet service at little to no cost. hardware - Physical components of a computer system. Some typical hardware items for a personal computer include the central processing unit, monitor, modem, and keyboard. home page - The welcome page encountered first when visiting a Web site. HTML editor - Computer software which automatically generates HTML codes for Web pages. hypertext links (links) - Allows visitors of a Web page to move to a different Web page by clicking on a highlighted word, phrase, or graphic. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) - Computer language used to create Web pages.

Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois, provide their students and employees with free access to the Internet through university-owned servers.

The World Wide Web was largely developed in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Wide Web is a popular Internet tool that uses text, graphics, video, and sound to display visually interesting documents. With the aid of software called browsers, individuals can easily navigate through the World Wide Web. The first browser, named Mosaic, was created in 1993 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The most popular browsers used today are Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Web sites are identified by addresses called Uniform Resource Locators (URL's). A popular Web site address in the United States is the White House, located at http:// www.whitehouse.gov/. By typing a URL address on their browser, users are taken to a document commonly referred to as a home page. This page typically provides a description of the Web site and contains a directory to the other documents, or Web pages, in the site. Most Web sites are created using a computer language called Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). This language is used to create hypertext links. These links allow individuals to navigate through a Web site using the "point and click" method to choose topics of interest.

Over the last decade, the Internet and World Wide Web have experienced phenomenal growth rates. In 1988, there were an estimated one million Internet users. There are now over an estimated 37.8 million adults in the United States with Internet access, and this number is expected to rise. The World Wide Web has similar growth numbers. Between July 1993, and July 1994, Web traffic grew by almost 2,100%. A survey conducted in 1998 found that nearly 45% of all Americans use the World Wide Web.

Reasons to Establish a Park and Recreation Web Site

The histories of the Internet and World Wide Web are interesting, but they do not explain why a park and recreation agency should consider establishing its own Web site. Since most park and recreation agencies have limited resources, commissioners and administrators need to have sound reasons to justify the investment of a Web site. They need to understand how this investment can benefit their agency.

Select personnel from Illinois park districts with Web sites were interviewed for this study, and they identified the following reasons for establishing a park and recreation Web site.

1. Provide information about the agency to the community

Like brochures, catalogs, and other traditional media. Web sites offer park and recreation agencies another means of informing the public about the services and facilities they offer. Since the Internet has become a place where people congregate, Web sites allow for the dissemination of information to a potentially large and diverse audience. Park and recreation Web sites can make it possible to reach more members of the community. This could increase participation in recreation programs and encourage greater use of park facilities.

2. Provide a means of communicating with the public

Web sites can be used to facilitate two- way communication with members of the community. Many park and recreation Web sites include e-mail addresses so visitors can ask questions or send comments and suggestions to the agency. Some agencies even have on-line surveys and questionnaires placed on their Web sites as a means of obtaining information from the public. Since this type of communication does not involve face-to-face contact, the public may be willing to be more sincere when expressing their opinions.

3. Desire to use modern technology

Having a Web site can show that the park and recreation agency is aware of current trends and technology. Establishing and I maintaining a Web site can be viewed as taking a proactive approach to today's technology. The ever growing popularity of the Internet indicates that Web sites are not just passing fad.

4. Provide information about the community to newcomers

In addition to informing current residents about services and facilities, park and recre-

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INTERNET 101

Web-Speak A Glossary of Terms (continued) Internet (Net) - A computer network comprised of a collection of computers interconnected worldwide by high-speed telephone lines. A communications protocol is used that allows different computers to communicate and interact with each other. Internet protocol - A standard procedure for regulating communication between computers. It allows each participating computer in the network to take part in the communication process instead of relying on one central computer. Internet Service Provider (ISP) - Provides services such as access to the Internet and e-mail accounts. on-line - Term used to identify when a computer is currently connected and obtaining or sending information to a server. search engine - Computer software that enables Web users to search for Web pages that contain a desired topic or word. server - A computer that houses and Stores World Wide Web documents and information.

ation Web sites can also be used to provide helpful information to people looking to relocate to a community. It is not uncommon for people to search the Internet for information about a community when considering a move or visit to a new community. Knowledge of the park and recreation programs and facilities available could help make the community more attractive to potential residents and visitors.

5. Availability and convenience of information on Web sites

Web sites allow people to connect to park and recreation agencies on their own terms. People have a tendency to misplace or lose brochures. Information provided by a park and recreation Web site is available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Web sites can be catered to people with busy schedules who may have a difficult time contacting the park and recreation agency during regular business hours.

6. Competition from other recreation providers

More businesses and organizations are establishing Web sites, including those in the field of recreation. Not having a Web site might give both public and private competitors to park and recreation agencies an advantage in attracting current and potential customers.

7.Pressure from political sources

Several park districts included in the study indicated that they established Web sites due to political pressure. This pressure could come from elected officials, public administrators, or even the general public. There are cases where various public agencies have joined together to form comprehensive community Web sites featuring the park district, library district, school district, and city government.

8. Ability to easily update information on Web sites

When information is presented in a brochure or other print media, it is locked in time. Once created, it is nearly impossible to make revisions or corrections to the information. With a Web site, this problem is eliminated. If a program date or time changes, it is simple to revise a Web page. The public can be trained to know that the most accurate and up-to date information is provided on the Web site.

9. Ability to communicate in different languages

For some residents of the United States, English is not their primary language. Web sites can allow park and recreation agencies to easily communicate in multiple languages. As an example, one park district included in the IAPD study served a large Hispanic community. The park district's Web site was available in both English and Spanish. This allowed all members of the community to obtain information about their local park district in the language they were most proficient.

Steps for Creating a Park and Recreation Web Site

Establishing a new park and recreation Web site can be a challenging process. When a park and recreation agency decides to establish a new Web site, there are numerous issues that should be considered before any computer programming takes place.

1. Determine the purpose of the Web site

The previous section provided a variety of reasons why park and recreation agencies have established Web sites. However, each agency should decide what they want to accomplish by having a Web site. The overall purpose of the Web site should be based on the needs and wants of the community. Administrators and commissioners should establish goals and objectives which will help determine the overall content of the Web site.

2. Decide who will be responsible for working on the Web site

Web sites do not just appear once a decision is made to have one. Significant time and labor are required to establish and maintain a useful park and recreation Web site. Administrators and commissioners must determine whether to use in-house personnel, hire outside contractors, rely on volunteer labor, or use some combination of these.

If in-house personnel is used to design and create a new Web site, administrators and commissioners should understand that there are significant time demands that will be placed on the employee(s) responsible for the Web site. Based on information provided by park districts participating in the IAPD-

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Web-Speak A Glossary of Terms (continued) software - Programs that instruct a computer to perform a given task. Microsoft Windows 98, Mac OS8, and Microsoft Word are all examples of software. Uniform Resource Locator (URL) - The domain name or address of a Web page. The standardized means of locating a Web page on the Internet. Web browser - A computer program that facilitates the easy access and displaying of Web pages. Web page - A special type of document that can display information in the form of text, graphics, video, and sound. Web pages also contain hypertext links to other Web documents. Web site - The combination of all Web pages maintained by an organization. World Wide Web (Web) -An Internet tool that utilizes text, graphics, video, and sound to display visually interesting documents — complied by Michael Klitzing and Joseph Teaff using sources cited on page 25.

funded study, it can realistically take up to 100 or more hours to create a new park and recreation Web site. The amount of time needed will depend on the complexity of the Web site and expertise of the individual(s).

Once the Web site is created, the agency should also allow between 2 to 20 hours per month for the updating of information on the Web site. The amount of time needed will largely depend on the content of the Web site. If the Web site contains a large amount of time-sensitive information, the time required to update the Web site will increase.

When using agency personnel to create and maintain a Web site, there is no fixed rule as to which or how many employee(s) should be given responsibility for the Web site. It is best to assign one person central control if more than one employee is responsible for working on the Web site. According to study participants, the assignment of Web site responsibilities was usually based on the expertise, interest, and/or willingness of the employee to perform the task. Many of the employees in the study were either responsible for the agency's computers, involved in marketing and promotions, or part of the administrative staff.

Based on the time and expertise needed to create and maintain a Web site, hiring an outside contractor is an option for park and recreation agencies. There are numerous Web site professionals and companies that design and maintain Web sites. Many of these professionals have extensive knowledge and can create very impressive Web sites. However, professional contractors can be very expensive. In the Chicago area, it is not uncommon to pay $10,000 to $15,000 for the initial building cost of a Web site and an additional $6,000 to $10,000 per year to maintain the Web site.

Parknand recreation agencies might be able to find individuals who are willing to design and maintain a Web site for less money than some of the professional contractors. One of the participants in the study was able to hire a local college student to perform all of the programming responsibilities of the Web site. Another park district in the study contracted out the programming duties to two interested employees on the staff. Several park districts in the study relied on volunteer labor to create and maintain their Web sites. Volunteers can come from within the agency or from the community. Other similar alternatives may be available for park and recreation agencies.

Even when the park and recreation agency relies on outside sources for the programming and design of the Web site, agency personnel will still be involved in the process. The agency will need to provide the information to be contained in the Web site. The agency will also have to monitor the Web site to make sure information remains current and correct.

3. Select an Internet Service Provider

In order to have a Web site, park and recreation agencies need to obtain a connection to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The most common ISP's can be divided into three general groups: commercial service providers, freenets, and universities. In addition to providing access to the Internet, these ISP's can assist the park and recreation agency in obtaining a domain name (the address name of the Web site) and e-mail accounts.

Commercial service providers include companies such as America On-Line, Midwest Internet, and other national, regional or local companies. Freenets are local community networks, such as LincolnNet, PrairieNet, and ShawneeNet, that provide Internet service at little to no cost. Some universities, colleges, and other governmental agencies also allow local governments use of their servers. The cost and services offered by these three types of ISP's can vary greatly. In selecting an ISP, the best policy is to do some comparative shopping to find an ISP that best meets the agency's needs.

4. Review other Web sites

When creating and designing a new park and recreation Web site, it is helpful to review and analyze other Web sites. This process can provide a park and recreation agency with ideas and examples of what can be included in a Web site and how it can be organized. The Web sites of the Illinois Association of Park Districts (www.als.uiuc.edu/iapd), Illinois Park and Recreation Association (www.il-ipra.org), and National Recreation and Park Association (www.nrpa.org) provide links to many other park and recreation agencies already on the World Wide Web. Good ideas can be obtained by reviewing these Web sites as well as Web sites unrelated to parks and recreation.

5. Organize content of the Web site

Before anything is written in HTML, the park and recreation agency should gather all of the information to be placed in the Web site. Once all of the information is together, an outline or some type of organizational

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INTERNET 101

chart should be developed on paper. This will allow the designer to build the Web site in a logical, structured manner.

The most important thing to consider when organizing a Web site is to build it to be user friendly. Great efforts should be taken to structure the information based on how the public views the agency. It is a good idea to provide visitors more than one means of accessing information placed in the Web site.

6. Construct the Web site

The final phase of developing a park and recreation Web site is the actual construction and programming of the Web site. When first establishing a Web site, it is often best to start simply. The information provided in the Web site should be useful to the visitor. The Web site should have a logical structure, clean appearance, and be easy to navigate. Some graphics should be used to make the Web site visually attractive. Excessive use of graphics should be avoided however, since they can cause a Web page to take a long time to download.

Most basic Web sites are constructed using a programming language called HTML. There are many HTML editors available, including Adobe Pagemill, Microsoft Frontpage, and Netscape Composer. These HTML editors are computer programs that generate HTML code automatically. Some HTML editors can be downloaded for free off the Internet. Although HTML editors mean the Web site designer does not need to know much about HTML, it is still advisable for the designer to have a basic understanding of HTML.

7. Advertise the Web site

A Web site can only be useful if the public knows about it. The park and recreation agency should advertise and promote its new Web site once it is up and functional. Listing the URL address on brochures, letterhead, business cards, and newspaper advertisements are all possible ways of informing Ac public about the new Web site. One park district involved in the IAPD study received press coverage on their Web site when officially launching it during a board meeting.

8. Maintain the Web site

Once the Web site is created, it is of the it importance that the Web site be Maintained. The Web site must contain current information or people will not return to the site. Outdated information on a Web site can be aggravating to people surfing the Web and cause them to form a negative impression of the agency. It is also a good idea to periodically revise the look of the Web site in order to keep it fresh and interesting to visitors.

Sharing the Benefits

One of the responsibilities of park and recreation administrators, commissioners, and professionals is to inform their communities about the endless benefits of parks and recreation. Since the popularity of the Internet is continually rising, park and recreation agencies should begin using Web sites to spread the message to an increasingly large and diverse audience. Web sites can serve as an innovative and exciting way of informing the public about the valuable programs, services, and facilities available through park and recreation agencies. With park and recreation Web sites, the benefits will prove to be endless. 

MICHAEL W. KLITZING, M.A., Ed.
is the marketing manager for the Lafayette(Indiana) Parks and Recreation Department, mklitzing@city.hfayette.inMS. He recently received a masters degree in Recreation Administration from Southern Illinois University at Corbondale.

JOSEPH D. TEAFF, Ed.D.
is a professor in the Department of Health Education and Recreation at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, jteaff@siu.edu, www.siu.edu/~hedrec.

This article is based on the study entitled "How To Create a New Park and Recreation Web Site," conducted by the authors in 1998 and funded by the Illinois Association of Park Districts Research Advisory Council.

Sources Used for this Study • Eisenberg, A. (1995, November). "Doing business on the Net." Scientific American,273, 111. • Ellsworth,J. H., & Ellsworth, M. V. (1996). The new Internet business book. New York: John Wiley and Sons. • Golaski, L. (1985, April). "Taking the cyber plunge; White House sets good example." Advertising Age's Business Marketing, 80, T-2. • Hoiley, L., & Tbpp, N. (1994, Fall). "Internet in the public interest." The Public Manager, 23,47-50. • James, M. L,Wotrin, C. E., &Forrest, E.J. (1995). "An exploratory study of the perceived benefits of electronic bulletin board use and their impact on other communication activities." Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 39, 30-50. • Kaye, B. K., & Medorf, N. J. (1997). "Mass communication, mass media and the World Wide Web." Unpublished manuscript. • Maddox, 1C (1998, October 26). "Survey shows increase in online usage." Advertising Age, 69, S6-S7. • McCollum, T. (1997, March). "Making the Internet work for you." Nations Business, 85, 6-8, • McGuire, F., & Allen, L. R. (1997, June). "Recreational surfing." Parks and Recreation, 32, 26-27. • McKeown, P. G., & Watson, R- T. (1996). Metamorphosis: A guide to the World Wide Web. New York: John Wiley & Sons. • Metz, R, E., & Junion-Metz,G. (1996). Using the World wide Web and creating home pages. New York Neal-Schuman Publishers. • Stowers, G. N. L. (1996, January/February). "Moving governments on-line: Implementation and policy issues." Public Administration Review, 56, 122-125. • Szillat,E. H, (1996, June). "Taking the fast lane on the information highway." Parks and Recreation, 31, 30-35 • Teague, J. H. (1995). "Marketing on the World Wide Web." Technical Communication: Journal of the Society far Technical Communication, 42,236-242. • Verity, J. W., & Hof, R. D. (1994, November 11). "The Internet; How will it change the way you do business?" Business Week, 80-88. • Wiederspan J., & Shotton, C. (1996). Planning and managing Web sites on the Macintosh. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Developers Press. 

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