Librarian by Day » Digital Divide

FCC’s New Digital Literacy & Broadband Initiative Recognizes the Role Libraries Play Now & in the Future!

Bobbi Newman — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:45:11 +0000

This morning at 10 am Eastern the FCC announced a new initiative aimed at closing the digital divide (access to broadband the necessary technology) and address digital literacy issues. Connect to Compete is

A private and nonprofit sector partnership to promote broadband adoption and improve outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

I missed the live broadcast so as I looked over the website and the announcement from the Knight Foundation I grew increasingly concerned about the lack of mention of public libraries! How could they not know we’re at the front line of all of this! And, as you know, I’ve been awaiting more information on the Digital Literacy Corps since I read about the idea in the National Broadband Plan.

That’s why I was very grateful to find a pdf of the remarks. I’ve pulled out the sections regarding libraries but I strongly urge you to take the time to read the whole thing and become familiar with the Connect to Compete initiative.

On Digital Literacy Corps:

And building on a big idea developed in the National Broadband Plan, we’re proposing to work with America’s schools and public libraries to launch a Digital Literacy Corps to help promote and teach digital literacy.

Digital literacy refers to the basic skills necessary to seize the opportunities of broadband Internet – how to use a computer, navigate the web, or take actions like preparing and uploading an online resume, or processing a basic Internet transaction. If you’re not digitally literate you’re at a significant disadvantage in the workforce. 50 percent of today’s jobs require some technology skills – and this percentage is expected to grow to 77 percent in the next decade.

In the coming weeks and months, we are going to work with schools and libraries and tap their experience and wisdom to develop the best ways those institutions can help to close America’s digital skills gap.

I can’t wait to see how this plays out! I hope it is the form of true interaction vs the DigitalLiteracy.gov initiative that just encouraged librarians to dumb information into a website.

For millions of Americans, libraries are the only place where they can get online. For millions more, libraries are an important complement to at-home connectivity, and they remain, as they always have been, a trusted resource in communities.

During the day, libraries have become job centers and librarians career counselors – and after school a place where many students go to do homework online. Last year, more than 30 million Americans used library connections to seek and apply for jobs, and 12 million children used them to do homework. Millions of others are using library connections for health information.

Hallelujah! So great to this recognized outside of a library community based report!

Many –but not enough – of America’s 16,000 public libraries have become vital centers for digital literacy.

We’ve done a damn fine job, if I do say so myself, given the economy and the shocking budget cuts we’ve faced, thank-you-very-much.

Librarians are helping meet some of the vast need — and I applaud them. But according to a recent Gates Foundation-funded survey, only 38% of all libraries offer a basic digital literacy class. In rural areas, in places like West Virginia, it’s only 25% of libraries. That’s a big missed opportunity. We should aim to double those numbers. The E-Rate program – one of our most successful programs – connects schools and libraries to the Internet. Senator Jay Rockefeller, the great champion of E-Rate who, along with Senator Olympia Snowe and others, created the program, once said, “Our classrooms and our libraries are often the only way that our children and citizens can tap into the wonders of computers and the links to a vast world of information and knowledge. We want schools to be a place where children delve into computers. We want libraries to be vibrant centers of learning for families.” In that spirit, we plan to launch a proceeding to explore how the E-Rate program can expand access to digital literacy training at more public libraries and schools across the country and,
ultimately, forming a Digital Literacy Corps.

A good start would be some funding for:

technology can’t learn the latest and greatest unless you have it yourself,
staff training so everyone is comfortable with new technologies
adequate staffing so that all staff can attend training without worrying about being understaffed
a long term plan that acknowledges that staff training will need to be on going and that technology will need to be updated yearly, not every five years

Working with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), including its Director Susan Hildreth, who’s here with us today, a Digital Literacy Corps could help Americans, young or old, English- or Spanish-speaking, get the skills they need to find and apply for a job, to access educational classes, find health care information, and utilize e-government resources, helping accelerate e-government and reduce spending on paper.

Hurray for IMLS!

Microsoft has announced it will build a state-of-the-art online digital literacy training center, with videos and other easy-to-follow content, so if you’re in a city without an in-person digital literacy class, you can still log-on at a local library, school, or other community center and get the skills you need.

oooooh fancy. Can’t wait to see what this includes. Apple products?

To help close this gap, Microsoft, beginning in 15 states over the next three years and quickly expanding nationwide, has announced it will work with its partners to deploy training in Microsoft Office through its retail stores, local schools, libraries and community colleges.

This announcement is only the first step in a very long road. Each of these initiatives and partnerships must be set in place and functional, and the US already lags behind in internet adoption and digital literacy. We have a long road ahead of us but acknowledging the import role of libraries, currently and in the future, shows we’re on the right path.

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OITP and Digital Literacy Portfolio! Plus NTIA and a Digital Literacy Portal

Bobbi Newman — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 10:45:02 +0000

I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this announcement from OITP (Office of Information Technology Policy, ALA) yesterday! Libraries are key players when we talk about digital literacy and education. Though as I’ve noted before we are often overlooked in reports from other institutions and organizations, most recently, as in the Digital and Media Literacy Plan of Action white paper by Renee Hobbs.

I am pleased that OITP is working on a digital literacy portfolio and taking action that will help put libraries at the forefront of digital literacy training and education:

The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) is in the process of developing a digital literacy portfolio. During Midwinter, OITP staff began meeting with a range of ALA member groups to learn more about current efforts and to help inform the portfolio development. One outcome of the Midwinter meetings is that OITP’s Advisory Committee is supporting an OITP task force that would delve into digital literacy issues and include representatives from interested ALA units

The second part of the announcement concerns a National Digital Literacy Portal as mentioned in the National Broadband Plan from the FCC. As you know I’ve been concerned that The Plan fails to address digital literacy training and instruction and neglects the important role all libraries play in addressing the digital divide and participation gap. While I don’t think a portal will solve all the issues, it is a good first step and I am thrilled that NTIA is reaching out to other organizations including libraries:

The Digital Literacy Portal is one of the initiatives underway at NTIA. NTIA has issued a request for organizations – including libraries – that are engaged in digital literacy projects to submit content to be considered for inclusion in NTIA’s Digital Literacy Portal.

I strongly urge you to read the entire description of the Portal from NTIA

Digital literacy practitioners in the field have identified the need for a centralized location to connect to the most current resources available, collaborate, and share best practices to support opportunities for all Americans to build digital literacy skills. The Digital Literacy Working Group aims to produce a digital literacy web portal that is the “go-to” place for a variety of practitioners to connect to the most current resources on digital literacy.

And the comment and content policy:

As more and more jobs and information are available primarily online, the ability to use computers and navigate the Internet are critical to participation in the economy. The Digital Literacy portal will aggregate resources and facilitate collaboration among practitioners who are working mainly with vulnerable populations to enhance their digital literacy skills.

If you submit anything to NTIA be sure to copy OITP oitp@alawash.org.

Also note the mention of the “Digital Literacy Working Group” which, at this time, brings up 7 hits on a Google search. I know government tends to work slow but let’s hope in this case that all parties involve move quickly, as it is, we are already behind.

Additional Reading:

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Get Online Week! How Broadband Benefits Everyone and How You Can Help Others Get Online

Bobbi Newman — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:28:40 +0000

It is Get Online Week in the UK! How awesome is this?

Businesses and the government have teamed up in order to persuade Internet virgins to try out and use the World Wide Web.
The UK Get Online Week was launched on Monday and will run from 18th to 24th October 2010. The week-long national drive is being led by UK Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox, who is trying to get the last remaining ten million Brits online. This is despite the fact that Lane Fox has no budget to complete the project.
“There is no money and we don’t need it to make a big stride forward,” Lane Fox said back in August.

The simple idea behind the campaign is to encourage at least some of these estimated 10 million Britons who have never used the Internet, to give it a go.

There are a couple of helpful sites Race to Online 2012 list events, resources and provides a 67 page Manifest for a Networked Nation and research on Digital Inclusion. If you’re interested in broadband access there are a great resources on this site.

Press play to begin… on Prezi

Pass it On has a great videos and lists 5 reasons to Pass it On:

Money – An estimated £560 can be pocketed over a year by paying bills and shopping online; not to be sniffed at!
Time – Time saved for them performing everyday tasks at the click of a button, and time saved for you by not having to be a surrogate surfer.
staying in Touch – 3m people in the UK are socially isolated, and the Internet can help them connect with their friends and family.
Smash the Barriers – The Internet isn’t scary, it’s fun! Helping someone get over their initial fears can let them into the wonders of the web.
Create Opportunities – Having Internet access can increase GCSE performance by two grades for kids and give access to millions more job opportunities for adults.

found via Stephen FrySimilar Posts:

Post at Broadband for America: Libraries Are Essential for Bridging the Gap

Bobbi Newman — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 09:44:05 +0000

A while back I was approached to write a guest post for Broadband for America. I jumped at the chance to let others (outside of libraries) know how importance of the role of libraries in equal access to broadband.

Read the post Libraries Are Essential to Bridging the Broadband Gap and the Digital Opportunity Gap

As we see a push by The National Broadband Plan from the FCC and organizations like Broadband for America to make high-speed Internet access available to every household in America, we need to take a realistic look at the role libraries will play. The benefits of access to broadband are widely documented; it is the gap in access we need to address.

About Broadband for America

“Broadband for America’s mission is to make broadband access to the Internet available to every household in the nation; to provide data transfer speeds to make that broadband experience valuable to users; and to provide the bandwidth necessary for content providers to continue to make the Internet a cultural, societal, and economic engine for growth.”

Follow Broadband for America on Twitter

Mobile Phones and the Digital Divide Part 2

Bobbi Newman — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:11:42 +0000

Jason Griffey and I are having a discussion via our blogs regarding mobile phones and the digital divide to catch up first read my original post Why Mobile Phone Are Not the Key to the Digital Divide then read Jason’s response Why mobile phones are one key to the digital divide. This is my response to his post.

Jason states:

I believe strongly that the idea that a desktop is somehow superior to a mobile phone for Internet access is an accident of the time in which we live and the historical nature of the rise of computing. One can easily imagine that 10 years from now the then-digital-natives will look aghast at the desktops of the past. “What do you mean, you had to sit at a desk to use a computer? You pushed actual buttons?

I agree with this or at least don’t doubt the likelihood of it. Except for one part, there are no digital natives. At least not in the sweeping generational assignments we technophiles want to apply. You can not say all Millennials are digital natives, or that the generation after them will be, until we close the digital divide. There are too many children without exposure to the technology they would need to be considered digital natives. *

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), more than 100 million Americans don’t have broadband at home because they either can’t get it, can’t afford it, or aren’t aware of its benefits. Some 65 percent of U.S. households have broadband, a far lower adoption rate than in other technologically advanced countries such as Singapore (88 percent) or South Korea (95 percent). – PC World February 2010

The National Broadband Plan from the FCC looks to address the issues created by the digital divide today, not in 10 years. So when Aaron Smith states he thinks mobile phones play a key role he means now, in 2010, not 2020. That is my complaint. In 10 years this may be perfectly true.

Jason points out there are some who prefer mobile access:

There are examples, even today, of people who prefer mobile access to the Internet to using a desktop: the entire country of Japan, for instance. Many of them could easily afford desktops, but overwhelmingly they choose mobile phones as the mechanism they use for accessing the Internet.

Again he is correct. However this isn’t about choice, it is about assigning a substandard option for a class of people. We are moving toward better mobile, but in the mean time we can not apply a separate but equal philosophy to the ways in which individuals access the internet.

So unless there are some actual things that can be pointed out as to why Mobile access is second-class (and I swear, if someone says Flash, I quit)….I’m calling this cultural and historic bias.

Ok so it sounds like if I can convince Jason mobile access is not as good as a PC I might start to sway him.

For smartphones to replace PCs, they would have to take on all the features of a PC — they’d need to input and edit text as easily as a PC, create spreadsheets as easily as a PC, edit pictures and presentations as easily as a PC, and manage large databases as easily as a PC. To do that in a small mobile device, you need a color folding screen (so you can work with large documents), either a full-size keyboard or perfect voice recognition, a pointing device a heck of a lot more sophisticated than a five-way rocker, enormous amounts of storage, and a fast processor. Michael Mace CEO of Cera Technology

PC World magazine looks at Laptop vs. Netbook vs. Smartphone and asks Work, school, and play: Which portable computer is the do-everything device for you? A smart phone was not their first recommendation in any of the categories.

Here is a list of the things I attempted last night from my Smartphone, HTC Evo from Sprint. I’m sure there is a much longer list but I was tired, and my battery died

print – Government agencies are no longer issuing print forms.
inspect page source code – How do you think I learned most of what I know about html?
change my Facebook privacy settings – we all know why this is important
create a Facebook page for my new small business, manage the FB page I already have
edit the videos I recorded before uploading them to YouTube
play World of Warcraft
apply for a job
spell check my comments on blogs before posting, so I don’t look any more foolish than I already do. On my PC this is something Chrome automatically does for me (thank goodness)

I was able to do somethings like check my bank account or access Google docs but good grief was it slow and if you’ve ever seen me text you know I can hold my own with most 14-year-old girls.

The screen size and lack of a real keyboard are still huge issues for me. Can you imagine trying to write a paper on one of these? In an age when being a citizen in a democratic society means participation and creation smartphones are still primarily a tool for consumption.

Battery life my netbook gets something like 10 hours and its over a year old. My phone doesn’t last the day with heavy use.

My mom lost her Blackberry last week. Who knows where, somewhere at home she thinks but its gone, as is everything on it. I know your PC could be stolen (or lost I guess) but the odds are slimmer. Even if your computer crashed you still have the hardware to rebuild upon.

* Can I just add on a personal note that I hope whatever we’re doing in 10 years is more comfortable than sitting at a keyboard all day because my back is killing me.Similar Posts:

Why Mobile Phone Are Not the Key to the Digital Divide

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:18:25 +0000

Earlier this week I tweeted

I whole heartedly, unequivocally disagree with this! Mobile access helps agencies break past digital divide

Which linked to this article from, Pew Internet and American life - Mobile access helps agencies break past digital divide | Interview with Aaron Smith. In which Smith says

“I think mobile is playing a key role in bridging those gaps between people who have that broadband connection at home and people who don’t. It really gives people an economically viable opportunity to tap into the online world that they wouldn’t normally have,”

I got some responses back on Twitter including from Jason Griffey and Tiffini Travis disagreeing with me, Jason suggested dueling blog posts. Earlier this year I wrote a post entitled Mobile Phones Are Not The Key to Bridging the Digital Divide in response to an NPR story, A Digital Revolution In The Palm Of Your Hand. Since this is actually my second attempt at addressing this issue on my blog I hope I am more elegant, articulate and successful in delivering my message.

Reports and studies show that minorities and lower-income households rely on mobile access because they do not have access at home.

Other cultural forces aside, minorities, lower-income households and younger adults access the Internet at higher rates on mobile devices because they often do not have computers at home. – NYT, 2010

According to the FCC’s National Broadband Plan

Like electricity a century ago, broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life. It is enabling entire new industries and unlocking vast new possibilities for existing ones. It is changing how we educate children, deliver health care, manage energy, ensure public safety, engage government, and access, organize and disseminate knowledge.

I agree with Jason, mobile technology is improving at a rapid pace. However, it is not on par with a computer with a high-speed internet connection. There are many things you still can not do with a mobile phone, even a smart phone. Are we really willing to say that this less robust point of access is acceptable for minorities and the economically challenged?

As I said before:

I firmly believe that this will result in the sort of second class citizens that the Knight Commission warns us about. Please don’t make me point out the problem of accepting a sub-standard option for minorities.

We must acknowledge that, while mobile access is better than no access, it is still not the equivalent of high-speed access from a computer. It is not acceptable for privileged, economically sound, techno savvy people to state that these two forms of access are the same. When you look at the reasons for the National Broadband Plan:

education
health care
public safety
civic engagement
access, organize and disseminate knowledge.

How is a separate and inferior point of access acceptable for a different socio-economic group of people?

Read more:

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Mobile Phones Are Not The Key to Bridging the Digital Divide

Bobbi Newman — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:47:43 +0000

Something new to consider as we consider at broadband access as a universal right – mobile phones. NPR looks at a recent report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project on Mobile Access. Does 3G (and soon to be 4G) speed qualify as broadband access? NPR quotes these stats from Pew

African-Americans and English-speaking Latinos continue to be among the most active users of the mobile web. Cell phone ownership is higher among African-Americans and Latinos than among whites (87% vs. 80%) and minority cell phone owners take advantage of a much greater range of their phones’ features compared with white mobile phone users. In total, 64% of African-Americans access the internet from a laptop or mobile phone, a seven-point increase from the 57% who did so at a similar point in 2009.

Before stating:

Could mobile use be a gateway for people of color to harness more of the broader digital world? Both activists and advertisers believe so.

Are we really going to say a mobile phone equals broadband access? I sure hope not. So many sites still don’t work well on mobile phones, including important ones from the government. I firmly believe that this will result in the sort of second class citizens that the Knight Commission warns us about. Please don’t make me point out the problem of accepting a sub-standard option for minorities.

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The Digital Divide Does Not Discriminate

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:36:22 +0000

This short video is from the March 9, 2010 FCC summit to discuss the need to include all Americans in the digital age. It gives clear examples of the need for access and the skills to use the internet across a diverse segment of the population.

People need universal access to broadband and the skills to use it, not as a privilege, but as a right.

These five stories come from Americans who have found digital literacy to be a major influence in their lives.

Learn more:

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Should Broadband Access be a Right? I Say Yes

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:49:39 +0000

And I’m not alone. Countries such as France, Greece, Estonia, Spain and Finland have already moved to make it a right for their citizens.

I know this can be a complicated topic to discuss, as Ange Fitzpatrick points when cast against the civil rights and women’s rights struggles internet access seems laughable.

Thomas Jefferson admirably covers all bases when he describes the unalienable rights as including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but I think anyone would struggle to convincingly tack on to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and a high speed internet connection. What would be next- a flat screen TV?

Yet, there is so much more happening online, it is a huge source of information, a tool for communication. As Dr. Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, states

“The right to communicate cannot be ignored,”

“The internet is the most powerful potential source of enlightenment ever created.”

“We have entered the knowledge society and everyone must have access to participate.”

He concluded that governments must “regard the internet as basic infrastructure – just like roads, waste and water”. We can not look at internet access as a frivolous tool that allows people to update their Facebook status and watch YouTube videos all day. A huge portion of life is moving online and not just the fun stuff, things like government forms, health care and banking. We need to take action.

Eric Newton, of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation points out:

In the past, we grew because we built the railroads and highways we needed to haul people and their physical things across this vast continent. Today, we will not grow unless we build the technology we need to haul our ideas and innovations around the world. Nearly two dozen other nations now rank ahead of the United States in high-speed broadband.

Minorities, senior citizens, people with disabilities, people with lower education levels, those with lower incomes, and the chronically ill are significantly less likely to have high speed internet access at home. I think Knight Foundation’s President and CEO Alberto Ibargüen says it best:

“Broadband access for all is essential to meeting the information needs of communities in a democracy. Without it, we’ll end up with a new category of second-class citizens. With it, everyone will be able to harness the social and economic opportunities of the digital age.”

Access to online information, services and communities is no longer a perk but a fundamental aspect of life as a participant and contributor in society.

As an aside – While I applaud the National Broadband Plan, as I have pointed out before, I’m concerned about the lack of education and training included. Even with the implementation of the fiber network needed to ensure high-speed internet access there is still the cost of hardware and monthly subscription fees. While public libraries provide a stop-gap in the access issue many of them have usage time limits, limited hours due to funding cuts, limited staff to assist patrons who are unfamiliar with computers or the online world. Giving someone access to the internet without any instruction is like handing someone keys to a new car without any instruction. They have a rough idea of how its done and it will be rough going for a while but they’ll figure it out or there will be an accident. The proposed Digital Literacy Corps is one possible solution, lets just hope it plays out.

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FCC’s Broadband Action Agenda Fails to Address Training and Education

Bobbi Newman — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:33:06 +0000

I’ve been following the FCC’s National Broadband Plans since they were sent to Congress. I’ve been excited about the possibility of the Digital Literacy Corps. However when reviewing the Broadband Action Agenda I feel a little uneasy. I see no reference to training or instruction. While I agree on the importance of access to broadband I’m concerned about lack of attention to instruction. This sort of training and funding are desperately needed. Dumping broadband access on communities that can’t afford a computer or the monthly fee for high speed access and without any instruction is like giving a 13 year a Ferrari, its a great car but he can’t afford the gas and he don’t know how to drive it. Its basically worthless.

At the VERY least there should be mention of public libraries. They are the ones who will be providing access to this wonderful broadband to people who can’t afford the device or the connection fee. It also falls upon them to provide the training and instruction. Broadband is wonderful but we are not born knowing how to use the internet, not even so called digital natives.

I hope I’m wrong, I hope I’m missing something and someone will point it out to me and I’ll feel dumb, because I’d rather feel that than the disbelief and outrage I feel right now.

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Librarian by Day » Digital Divide

FCC’s New Digital Literacy & Broadband Initiative Recognizes the Role Libraries Play Now & in the Future!

Read More:

OITP and Digital Literacy Portfolio! Plus NTIA and a Digital Literacy Portal

Get Online Week! How Broadband Benefits Everyone and How You Can Help Others Get Online

Post at Broadband for America: Libraries Are Essential for Bridging the Gap

Mobile Phones and the Digital Divide Part 2

Why Mobile Phone Are Not the Key to the Digital Divide

Mobile Phones Are Not The Key to Bridging the Digital Divide

The Digital Divide Does Not Discriminate

Should Broadband Access be a Right? I Say Yes

FCC’s Broadband Action Agenda Fails to Address Training and Education