Libraries and the Digital Divide

 Libraries and the Digital Divide

By Karissa Chou

Libraries are at the center of the digital divide. We, who live in cities, do not think of internet access being a major roadblock but in rural areas it persists. Libraries in the close vicinity of a person’s residence can be the difference between access and no access. The author of the article, Leveraging Libraries to End the Digital Divide highlights the fact that people in rural areas are still limited by access due to location and/or financial burdens, (Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada, 2024). An instance was described where a rural local government at the library was offering home internet access at low or no cost to families. The library had lines of residents wanting to sign up. 

Libraries not only provide a means to obtain home broadband internet they also provide access from their facilities, as well as training for residents who do not know how to use digital resources. It can be simple help from how to navigate the internet, create and utilize email, or advanced training on programming. The gaps in access and training are similar to those who are able to vote or have ample resources in life. The groups are not just the older generations as some may think, it’s also people with disabilities, certain ethnic groups, and those without the financial means. Public access to technology centers around libraries just as it did three centuries ago when the digital age was beginning. 

In some ways, I feel happy to know the necessity of libraries will not dissipate with so much going digital. In other ways, I feel sad many live without the basic amenities of internet access in their homes and likely no computers. Our society has advanced, but not without its challenges. We should not have forgotten those in remote areas or with limited means. Everyone in our country should have access to something as basic as a computer and internet access. 

Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada. Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada is president of the American    Library Association. “Leveraging Libraries to End the Digital Divide.” Technology Solutions That Drive Government, 19 Aug. 2024, statetechmagazine.com/article/2023/02/leveraging-libraries-end-digital-divide.

Talbot, David. “The Unacceptable Persistence of the Digital Divide.” MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 2 Apr. 2020, www.technologyreview.com/2016/12/16/155240/the-unacceptable-persistence-of-the-digital-divide/.