The American Library Association's Office of Information and Technology Policy (OITP) Successfully Advocated for more Federal Stimulus Funds for public libraries. Good work! Looks like Carrie McGuire, ALA Director, OITP Program on Networks, is to be commended.
John Windhausen gave lots of credit to ALA for upgrades to NTIA and RUS grant programs. He said that part 2 of the Stimulus Funds will have the same 3 programs as the first part:
CCI - Comprehensive Community Infrastructure - emphasis now includes libraries as key community "anchor" entities.
PCC - Public Computer Centers
Sustainable broadband
Timing: March 15 is deadline for applying for round #2. Summer through September 30 grants will be awarded
Scoring preference:
Applications for programs that serve the needs of healthcare, education, children and "vulnerable populations" and unserved/underserved areas.
Public Computer Center programs are obvious areas for libraries and community colleges, yet there is a lot of competition for this money from other community organizations.
NEW emphasis on community colleges and training (workforce training)
OITP profiles five library networks. The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy released on January 6 Making Connections: Lessons from Five Shared Library Networks (PDF file)—profiles of five library networks that have, through varying approaches, successfully upgraded their broadband connectivity. The case studies reveal lessons learned that may be instructive for other libraries seeking to establish successful networks. Networks include Ohio Public Library Information Network, West Virginia Library Commission, Wisconsin BadgerNet, Peninsula Library System (California), and Maine School and Library Network.
This and earlier Making Connections reports are meant to support calls for Federal Broadband funding for public libraries. Much of the broadband grants is going to other entities, yet Public Libraries are on the forefront of offering no-fee broadband access to the Internet. Library Internet workstations are generally full (with waiting lines) and most public libraries also offer free wireless Internet access. Ironically, library hours are often reduced because of local government budget woes even though public demand to library access increases in times of economic downturn.
California School Library Association member Richard Moore posted a notice on the California school library listserv about an upcoming presentation on digital literacy and urged colleagues to consider attending in order to position teacher librarians in their role as teacher of digital literacy (included under information literacy). Thanks to Richard's "heads up", several librarians attended the presentation and successfully made their point about Teacher Librarians as part of the solution for increasing digital literacy in the state.
On Thursday 6/25, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Research Associate Dean Bonner presented findings of PPIC's Statewide Survey on Californians and Information Technology. The survey alines well with the national Pew survey on Information Technology, so we can see how California compares with the nation. See the PPIC website for video and handouts. Here are some highlights:
The percentage of Californians with Internet and broadband access at home has increased since last year. Although the urban/rural digital divide has narrowed, demographic disparities persist.
Many cell phone users, including most under age 35 are sending and receiving text messages. About 3 in 10 use cell phones to access the Internet or email.
More than half of California’s Internet users access the Internet using a laptop through a wireless connection, while fewer do so using their cell phones or a computer at a public library.
Six in 10 California parents with school-age children visit their children’s school websites and one in three get their children’s homework assignments via the Internet or by email. [Therefore about 40% of parents do not get school or student information via Internet access, presumably because they lack digital literacy or access to the Internet from home.]
Majorities of Californians think that residents in lower-income and rural areas have less access to broadband Internet technology than others; At least half of Californians are concerned about this (inequity).
Sponsors of the PPIC event included California Emerging Technologies Fund (CETF), Zero Divide, and the State Library’s California Research Bureau. CETF President and CEO Sunne Wright McPeak spoke about the $60M her organization has to spend over five years to increase digital literacy in the state. She referenced a focus on government-led wireless research, used expressions such as “[solutions] driven by data” and “Children’s future”. She also indicated that Federal stimulus dollars to California would support Internet instruction targeted to populations needing digital literacy skills. For example, she stated that CETF has a goal to increase by 10% the number of Latinos who are online.
When the audience was invited to ask questions, the first hand up was Jennie Rae Davis, representative for Perma-Bound Books and a former school library employee. She expressed her concern that school libraries, a key part of the technology infrastructure, are losing teacher librarians, the ones who teach students how to use the Internet. The California School Library Association followed up with an offer to identify school teacher librarian (TL) data if we could get technical assistance on data mashing of CDE information showing where TLs exist and where they are missing. Sunny and others immediately understood the value of having visual data to show where TLs are most needed, and asked for assistance by GIS (Geographical Information Systems) expert Michael Byrne of the state information office. CSLA also provided Michael, Sunne, and others with a copy of Doug Achterman’s executive summary of “California’s School Libraries Make a Difference”.
The Federal government stimulus package includes grants to be awarded for broadband technology. The "kick-off" to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2008 Broadband Initiative took place on March 10, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Public Meeting of NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program included a live webcast. From the comfort viewing the webcast from sunny California, it was clear that the room was packed and at least 1,750 were viewing the webcast. The last portion of the hearing was devoted to Q&A. It was good to see that Alan Inouye, director of the American Library Association Office of Information Technology Policy, asked for the dates of upcoming public meetings and stated that he hopes that grants to service providers will make access and discounts available to public libraries.
Public Meeting Description: The U.S. Congress has appropriated $4.7 billion to establish a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program for awards to eligible entities to develop and expand broadband services to rural and underserved areas and improve access to broadband by public safety agencies. Of these funds, $250 million will be available for innovative programs that encourage sustainable adoption of broadband services; at least $200 million will be available to upgrade technology and capacity at public computing centers, including community colleges and public libraries; $10 million will be a transfer to the Office of Inspector General for the purposes of BTOP audits and oversight. Up to $350 million of the BTOP funding is designated for the development and maintenance of statewide broadband inventory maps.
Presenters included:
Anna Gomez, Acting Administrator, NTIA, US Department of Commerce.
Rick Wade, Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff, US Department of Commerce.
Panel on Broadband initiatives, statutory requirements and timelines included:
(Moderator) Mark Seifert, NTIA Senior Advisor
Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera, Associate Administrator, NTIA
David Villano, Assistant Administrator for Telecommunications Programs, USDA Rural Development
Scott M. Deuchman, Acting Senior Legal Advisor to Acting Chairman Copps, FCC.
There will be a comment period before the grant rules and regulations are determined. Then, the grants will be given out as fast as possible. The ALA will be actively working on behalf of broadband deployment to rural public libraries.
The American Library Association's Office of Information and Technology Policy (OITP) Successfully Advocated for more Federal Stimulus Funds for public libraries. Good work! Looks like Carrie McGuire, ALA Director, OITP Program on Networks, is to be commended.
