I recently came across this article in the New York Times on Paul Otlet (1868-1944).  Otlet is credited with the first vision of a world wide information network in which networked "computers" (screens and telephones) are used share both textual and multi-media information.  Otlet's vision of a "global information network" was developed through his work at the Mundaneum in Belgium during the 1920's and 1930's.   

Enjoy!

Related links

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/science/17mund.html

http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~buckland/otlet.html

http://www.mundaneum.be/

http://user.online.be/sofidoc/lhomme.htm