Bill
WESTCHESTER ALLIANCE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS
& PUBLIC ACCESS
ANNUAL REPORT - 1995
INTRODUCTION
The Westchester Alliance for Telecommunications & Public Access (WATPA) experienced a year of
significant accomplishment. Progress was made in many areas reflected in its Mission as neutral
information provider to Westchester's citizens, governments, educational institutions and business
organizations regarding application of new technology and Westchester's position in the National
Information Infrastructure.
With a small but dedicated membership comprised of information professionals, educators, government
officials, businesspersons and interested citizens, WATPA published a newsletter, produced new segments
for its cable television series, TronComm - The Electronic Community, and created an Internet-based
electronic mailing list for discussion of pertinent matters and information dissemination. In partnership with
the Westchester Library System a World Wide Web site for Westchester's non-profit organizations has
been established and is growing rapidly as the new year commences.
Brief summaries of specific accomplishments in these areas follow:
News & Views
The inaugural issue of WATPA's newsletter provided information to municipal cable television commissions
and local governments detailing current issues impacting cable franchise negotiations.
TronComm - The Electronic Community
Continuing WATPA's 1994 production of a two-part cable television show featuring a panel discussion
about the implications and use of the Internet, a series of three half-hour instructional video tapes
describing how-to connect, use and communicate via the Internet were produced and released to
Westchester cable television systems. The Westchester Library System will make the series available for
loan through the public libraries.
WATPA@Westnet.com
1995 witnessed the migration of WATPA's electronic bulletin board, Pan-Air, to a full-fledged online
Internet mailing list. Open to anyone with a personal computer, a modem and Internet access,
watpa@westnet.com provides an on-going arena for discussion of issues effecting Westchester (and the
world's) advancement toward the Information Age. List subscribers electronically post articles about
WATPA affairs, issues ranging from privacy and freedom in an electronic world to pointers to new and
interesting World Wide Web sites. Subscribers assist each other with answers to technical questions
regarding computerized communications and keep up to date generally with life in cyberspace.
WATPA also maintains a WWW homepage at http://westnet.com/watpa .
Westchester Community Information
With WATPA as supporting partner, the Westchester Library System applied for grant funding of a National
Telecommunications Initiative Project to create a county-wide publicly accessible community information
World Wide Web site. Although funding was not awarded the project, WATPA and WLS have proceeded
to establish a WWW-site where Westchester-based non-profit organizations may create "homepages"
outlining their purpose, programs and events calendars. The Universal Resource Locator (URL) for the
site, Westchester PathMasterTM, is http://www.wls.lib.ny.us .
With several community organizations up & running at year-end, development of this site is expected to
grow exponentially during the new year. WATPA is contributed significant hours of volunteer time to
creating the technical facility housing the site, is actively seeking non-profit participants to use it and
providing on-going support and guidance to WLS as host and to content providers.
LOOKING AHEAD
1996 promises to be a year of tremendous growth for WATPA. The expansion of the joint WATPA/WLS
Community Information Service, Westchester PathMasterTM, continued use of public access cable
television to keep Westchester abreast of technological developments, potential collaboration with
Westchester County in the creation of an on-line inter-municipal government information exchange, and
newsletter distribution in print and electronic form promise to keep us busy. Additionally, WATPA will lead
development of the Westchester Pavilion for the 1997 World's Fair on the Internet.
MEMBERSHIP
Your help is needed. Fulfilling WATPA's leadership role as Westchester's premier telecommunications
and public access information resource will require the continued support of its active members and
benefactors. WATPA is a non-profit membership organization, open to all, dedicated to coordinating
efforts to develop county-wide community networks using on-line, inter-active electronic communications.
Meetings are regularly scheduled for the third Thursday of each month at 7:00PM and are held at the
Westchester Library System offices in Elmsford.
INFORMATION
To join The Westchester Alliance for Telecommunications & Public Access, send your check for $30,
payable to WATPA to:
Westchester Alliance for Telecommunications
& Public Access
@ Westchester Library System
8 Westchester Plaza
Elmsford NY 10523
914 592-8214
To join our electronic mailing list:
Send an email message to watpa-request@westnet.com with the word <subscribe> in the body of the
message. You will be automatically added to the list.
To visit Westchester PathMasterTM on the World Wide Web, point your web browser to
http://www.wls.lib.ny.us