<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Lillian,<div>As you likely know, libraries have been and continue to be primary </div><div>community information-access and knowledge-building centers, with </div><div>the ALA having been a leading advocate since the early Internet days.</div><div>In rural communities, libraries are a safe, trusted, helpful place for all;</div><div>children, elders, those with handicaps, the poor and more. Libraries</div><div>have an important ongoing role to play as the net evolves technically,</div><div>and as the digital divide evolves with growing economic fragilities and </div><div>disparities in urban and rural communities.</div><div><br></div><div>A major problem is that libraries are under-supported for their evolving</div><div>role and tasks, needing trained staff and systems (desktop and mobile).</div><div>Incumbent providers and ISPs ought to have an incentive to support</div><div>libraries and community learning centers, if their efforts lead to new</div><div>network subscribers. Local .gov and schools should also partner to</div><div>support libraries, as the results are of benefit to the community common </div><div>good. Maintaining metrics on this can help make the case.</div><div><br></div><div>Richard</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On Apr 13, 2015, at 10:07 AM, Lillian Galloway wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>Thank you for sharing this, Richard. In the course of launching our<br>digital literacy project over the past year, I have noticed increases in<br>confidence with technology for most people who have attended learning<br>sessions with the Silver City Public Library and our partners. The survey<br>data we have collected seems to support this. I wonder whether informal,<br>supportive learning environments contribute to community members' adoption<br>of broadband.<br><br>Lillian<br><br>Lillian Galloway<br><br>Programming and Outreach Librarian<br>Silver City Public Library, Silver City, NM<br>(575) 538-3672<br><a href="http://silvercitypubliclibrary.wordpress.com">silvercitypubliclibrary.wordpress.com</a><br><br><br><blockquote type="cite">Rural Libraries and Broadband Adoption<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">A new study suggests there is a link between libraries and rates of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">household broadband adoption – but only in the most remote rural counties.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Libraries were the only type of “community anchor institution” to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">demonstrate this relationship.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">By Brian Whitacre and Colin Rhinesmith<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">http://www.dailyyonder.com/rural-libraries-linked-higher-broadband-adoption/2015/04/08/7796<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">---------------------------------------------------------<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">1st-Mile Institute www.1st-mile.org<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">P. O. Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">505-603-5200 rl@1st-mile.org<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">---------------------------------------------------------<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">_______________________________________________<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">1st-mile-nm mailing list<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">1st-mile-nm@mailman.dcn.org<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/1st-mile-nm<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div>---------------------------------------------------------</div><div>Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director</div><div>1st-Mile Institute <a href="http://www.1st-mile.org">www.1st-mile.org</a> </div><div>P. O. Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504</div><div>505-603-5200 <a href="mailto:rl@1st-mile.org">rl@1st-mile.org</a></div><div>---------------------------------------------------------</div></div><div><br></div></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
<br></div></body></html>