Fort Belvoir, VA (Army News Service, March 4, 2005)- Army Knowledge Online is partnering with Army Libraries to provide a broad scope of Army information that is readily accessible 24 hours a day. The AKO site, which serves as the Army Libraries Community page, provides user authentication and access to those services restricted to authorized Army users.

The Digital Army Library Service is the Army Library Program's homepage and its virtual library. Featuring a worldwide network for an Army in transformation, ALP has 81 general, 67 technical, 24 academic, and six other special libraries. DALS also features 18 databases holding 8,000 full text journals and 2,675 e-books that were funded by the U.S. Army Community & Family Support Center. Additionally, DALS provides access to 2,000,000 items from 34 military libraries in the Military Education and Research Library Network.

Supporting deployed soldiers, DALS institutionalized AKO user desktop access to a 24/7 Ask A Librarian Service. Launched on AKO in May 2003 and accessible to 1.7M users, this service shares expertise across the Army worldwide. It leverages the expertise of librarians in 29 global Department of Defense libraries; facilitates access to unique Army print collections; and supports concurrent creation of an Army knowledge base.

A strategic, knowledge-management resource, the Army Libraries Program enables the Army to gain and maintain full-spectrum knowledge superiority. Teaming with AKO, ALP concurrently facilitates education, self-development, training, research, outreach, well-being, and lifelong learning for Army soldiers, civilians and families.

Army Library Program and Related Sites

· Army Libraries Community Page at https://www.us.army.mil/suite/login/welcome.html

· Digital Army Library Service (DALS) http://www.libraries.army.mil

· Library Reference Center http://www.libraries.army.mil/refctr.htm

· Military Education & Research Library Network (MERLN)

http://merln.ndu.edu