MAJOR US GOVERNMENT REPORT ON THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Patricia Layzell Ward, Editor, Library Link

The American Library Association has welcomed a new report on information technology from the US Department of Commerce which agrees with the ALA�s view that Internet connectivity in libraries is crucial.

The report entitled Falling through the Net 111: defining the digital divide was released on July 1 by the US Department of Commerce and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It describes the widening digital divide and the challenges for libraries, schools and community access centres as part of the public policy solutions to closing the gap between the information �haves� and �have nots�.

Lynne Bradley, acting director of the ALA�s Washington Office, has commented that "The NTIA research confirms what ALA members have been telling us - that libraries serve a vital social role as Internet access points for people who are otherwise not connected to the information superhighway".

The report provides evidence that library users access the Internet for important, life-sustaining purposes such as job-hunting, education and locating health information. These findings complement research by the ALA which indicates that 75% of the US public library outlets provide public access to the Internet.

Many of those outlets provide Internet access to rural and low-income areas. 70% of the rural public library outlets provide Internet access, while nearly 80% of those serving poverty areas provide Internet access. The numbers continue to grow rapidly and have been substantially boosted in recent months by the E-rate programme of discounts for telecommunications services to schools and libraries established by the 1996 Telecommunications Act - other national governments - please note.

Bradley also commented that "Our nation�s libraries are one of the strong, critical partners to build and maintain a sense of community - and have historically served as the people�s university". Rick Weingarten, director of the ALA Office for IT Policy said that "The NTIA report clearly demonstrates that we have a huge challenge ahead of us to close the digital divide - Librarians, library trustees, library users and advocates in public, school and academic libraries stand ready for the challenge.... The library community will use every tool and resource - local funding, E-rate discounts and the main federal library program, the Library Services and Technology Act, as well as collaborative projects with schools, local governments and higher education institutions, to provide equitable access for all".

A PDF version of the report is available at: www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/digitaldivide/

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