1. The Rural Library and
Broadband Access:
Challenges and Opportunity

2. The Digital Divide
• Concept arose in the 1990s, referring to
the gap between Internet haves and havenots
• Unequal access due to:
– Socioeconomic status, race, educational
attainment, rural, infrastructure, geography
• Rural areas face low adoption rates due to
cost, geographic isolation, lack of
knowledge

3. Solutions
• Government introduced E-Rate program in
1996, providing discounts to libraries and
schools
• Additional support from ARRA (2008- ),
National Broadband Initiative (2009 -)
• For all areas, especially rural, the public
library is looked to as an anchor institution

4. Rural Libraries
• Definition: Inconsistent; Not urban
• Used to lag far behind urban counterparts,
but today, nearly 100% offer Web access
• Still face large challenges in funding,
support, service delivery, patronage
• Can seize opportunity to add to service
delivery, advocacy, community leadership

5. Economic Challenges
• Lots of funding has been put into place to
establish connections
• Increased maintenance/updating costs
• Human costs:
– IT Staff? Nope.
– Staff’s time for user training/assistance
– Little training available for librarians

6. Geographic and Cultural
Challenges
• Rural folks are among those who might
benefit most from effective access, but
they are among least aware
– Increased need for library to promote/educate
– Local governments not likely to increase
funds
• Geographic isolation makes it difficult to
get support service and for patrons to
access library

7. Opportunities for Improvement
• Grants should be simplified so small/less
knowledgeable libraries can get them
• Grants should be more flexible to
accommodate unique needs
• ALA Committee on Rural, Native, and
Tribal Libraries of All Kinds and Clarion
University’s Center for the Study of Rural
Librarianship have contributed little in
recent research

8. Questions?
(If I haven’t put you to sleep)