CCI spun its first threads on the World Wide Web in July 1996. This original site received 18 000 hits and more than 500 visitors in its first month, and we were very pleased with our first modest venture into cyberspace. Although the site continued to grow in popularity (it now receives more than 75 000 hits and 6000 visitors monthly), technology advanced rapidly and the time soon came to revamp our electronic home. Seeking a fresh look and feel that would parallel our new corporate look, as well as improved usefulness and functionality, we set about overhauling the site in the fall of 1998 with the assistance of consulting firm Market Access Communications Inc. of Ottawa.

The redesigned CCI Web site offers a number of new features:

• The Bookstore presents an electronic catalogue of our publications and special products. Users can search the catalogue for specific topics and generate an online electronic order form simply by clicking on a selection, thereby keeping a running tally of their orders and how much they will cost.
  
  
• The Conservation Information section provides access to information generated by our staff and research collaborators. Users can carry out author and key word searches of this entire database, as well as a free-text search within the body of an individual document. New information will be added regularly to increase the range of included conservation topics, issues, and questions.
  
  
• The Services section describes in detail what we have to offer to the conservation and heritage communities, and includes an expanded list of learning opportunities that range from internships to on-site seminars and workshops. An electronic form makes it easy to contact us, and a search engine allows the user to examine not only our complete site, but also the entire site of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Future plans include enhancing access to our library collections of books, periodicals, articles, videos, etc. by providing direct access from the site to our collection database. We are also looking into distance learning on the Web to supplement our existing training programs, and perhaps even a virtual tour of our laboratories. The redesigned site will be up and running in the spring of 1999. If you haven't done so already, we invite you to check it out at our new address (www.cci-icc.gc.ca). We hope your visit will be useful, and look forward to receiving your feedback on how we can make it even better.