The PEI Crafts Information Service

The PEI Crafts Council has received funding, under the Canada-PEI
Cooperation Agreement on Cultural Development, to launch five
crafts-sector economic development projects over the next several
years.  Among these project is the establishment of a Crafts
Information Service, a computer-based database system providing
crafts producers with access to information about sources for
materials, supplies, equipment and expertise. 

The Crafts Information Service will include a collection of
catalogues from suppliers across North America (and, in some cases,
throughout the world) along with price lists, order forms and other
information.  The catalogues will be fully indexed by computer
allowing for easy answers to questions like "give me a list of all
the shops selling embroidery floss near Kitchener, Ontario" or "who
sells Bosch power tools in Montana." 

In addition the Service will keep on file information about
recognized masters in the various crafts who might be available for
consultation, advice, seminars or training. 

Although many crafts groups and publications have their own supplier
directories, many of these are only regional in focus or represent a
small fraction of the suppliers in a given medium.  With the
increasing use of electronic media and overnight courier services,
geographic boundaries are less important and there becomes a role for
a comprehensive, world-wide repository for supplier information.  We
hope to fill this role. 

The Service will be available to craftspeople around the world.  We
will offer services using electronic mail (through the PEInet
network's connection to the world-wide InterNet computer network),
surface mail, facsimile and telephone.  Charges for the service are
to be determined, but they will exist only to cover the costs or
maintaining the database and are expected to be nominal; ideally we would
receive enough in donations from suppliers and users to keep the
service well maintained. 

For further information about the PEI Crafts Information Service
contact Peter Rukavina, Information Manager, at (902) 566-1584,
facsimile (902) 628-8740 or electronic mail to address
'INFO@CRAFTS-COUNCIL.PE.CA'.
.