Libraries and the Digital Divide
By Lisa Aguilar
As community “third places”, libraries have a mission and job to serve their communities, often with resources that are not available anywhere else without an expectation of buying something, such as WiFi and computers. Having access to computers and WiFi is something that helps bridge the “digital divide” that can affect communities. According to Kiara Taylor’s article from Investopedia, the digital divide “[...] describes the gap between people who have access to affordable, reliable internet service (and the skills and devices necessary to take advantage of that access) and those who lack it” (Taylor). This quote shows that simply having access to technology such as computers will not completely close the divide, but community members also need to be able to learn and know how to use technology (i.e. skills). According to a news article written by Leah Mallory for The New York Amsterdam News, the New York Public Library system has been doing work to bridge the skills aspect of the digital divide by offering classes, called “TechConnect” (Mallory). According to Mallory, “[...] TechConnect classes, offered several times a week, both online and in person, allow adult patrons to de-velop computer skills. With more than 100 technology classes available at no cost, the program attracts people from all walks of life” (Mallory). The large number of classes goes over many different tech topics, such as using design software or going through a 12 week program to learn the inside and out of Microsoft Office (Office 365), with other languages supported as well (Mallory). Having such a wealth of topics bridges the digital divide by having all sorts of avenues for community members to gain technology skills so that they can actually use technology resources available to them. As it is said, knowing is half the battle.
Works Cited
Flatland. “Libraries out Loud | Bridging the Great Digital Divide.” YouTube, 24
July 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh-6_xgIHnM. Accessed 12 May
2025.
Mallory, Leah. “NYC Libraries Champion Digital Fluency.” New York Amsterdam News, vol. 115, no. 41, New York Amsterdam News, Oct. 2024, p. 8. Academic Search Complete, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=77d59a1f39733dd08a556ca2bbc14ef1.
Taylor, Kiara. “The Digital Divide: What It Is, and What’s Being Done to Close It.”
Investopedia, 2021, www.investopedia.com/the-digital-divide-5116352.
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Below is a video from the Kansas City PBS station's digital magazine's YouTube channel, showing how libraries can help bridge the digital divide by providing digital literacy:
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