Kinney, Bo. “The Internet, Public Libraries, and the Digital Divide.” Public Library Quarterly 29 (2010): 104-161.
In this article, Kinney looks at why the Internet matters for public libraries, both in terms of the Internet’s impact on the public, especially those with no access, and in terms of the impact of the Internet on libraries. He includes excellent literature reviews for each part, covering changes in public library Internet access t from the mid-1990s through 2009.
In the first part of his analysis, Kinney found “no disparity in the number of public computers available in areas with high and how incomes,” but found “significant—and widening—disparity in the number of computers available in areas with a higher versus lower percentage of non-white and non-English-speaking households” (104).
In the second part of his analysis, the author found that “Having Internet terminals (versus having no Internet terminals) has a significant positive effect on a library’s visits and reference transactions, but not on a library’s circulation” (105).
This article goes way beyond the scope of my project, however, the excellent literature reviews and extensive list of references made it extremely useful to me.
Friday, November 11, 2011
“Internet Access in Public Libraries: Results of an End User Targeted Pilot Study, 1997-2000.”
Kibirige, Harry M. “Internet Access in Public Libraries: Results of an End User Targeted Pilot Study, 1997-2000.” Information Technology and Libraries 20, no. 2 (Jun 2001): 113-115.
This article was written in 2001, using data from 1999. At that time, only 25 percent of households in the U.S. had access to the Internet from their homes. This meant that the role of public libraries in providing Internet access was viewed as essential.
Kibirige studied six New York metropolitan area public libraries and focused on how people searched for information. He then identified implications for librarians.
The information he discovered is interesting and relevant to my topic, but I have similar information in more current documents. This usefulness of this article rests in the history of the development of Internet access in public libraries.
This article was written in 2001, using data from 1999. At that time, only 25 percent of households in the U.S. had access to the Internet from their homes. This meant that the role of public libraries in providing Internet access was viewed as essential.
Kibirige studied six New York metropolitan area public libraries and focused on how people searched for information. He then identified implications for librarians.
The information he discovered is interesting and relevant to my topic, but I have similar information in more current documents. This usefulness of this article rests in the history of the development of Internet access in public libraries.
“Public Libraries and Internet Access Across the United States: A Comparison by State 2004-2006.”
Jaeger, Paul T., John Carlo Bertot, Charles R. McClure, and Miranda Rodriguez. “Public Libraries and Internet Access Across the United States: A Comparison by State 2004-2006.” Information Technologies and Libraries 26, no. 2 (Jun 2007): 4-15.
This article reports the findings of the 2004 and 2005 Public Libraries and the Internet studies that continue the research started in 1994. Even though data that is more recent is available, this article discusses trends at an important point in the evolution of public libraries as access points to the Internet.
By 2006, virtually every public library in the United States had Internet access and government agencies were beginning to shift services to the internet, making access even more important than it had been previously.
One of the issues discussed in 2007 was the fact that “the data indicate that public libraries are at capacity in meeting some of [patron and government agency] expectations, while some libraries lack the funding, technology-support capacity, space, and infrastructure (e.g., power, cabling) to reach the expectations of each respective group” (4). That is, libraries were at their capacity to meet demands for Internet access, even as demand was growing.
The authors discuss differences between states, noting that states with active state libraries seemed to fare better, and they conclude that, “the state library can play a significant role in ensuring sufficiency of Internet access in public libraries in a state” (11).
They also discuss the need to identify “best practices” that more successful states can share with other states to help improve access and services.
This report also documents factors other than workstations that are integral to the subject of Internet access. These factors include the speed and quality of the connections, library hours, wireless access, and training in using the Internet.
This article reports the findings of the 2004 and 2005 Public Libraries and the Internet studies that continue the research started in 1994. Even though data that is more recent is available, this article discusses trends at an important point in the evolution of public libraries as access points to the Internet.
By 2006, virtually every public library in the United States had Internet access and government agencies were beginning to shift services to the internet, making access even more important than it had been previously.
One of the issues discussed in 2007 was the fact that “the data indicate that public libraries are at capacity in meeting some of [patron and government agency] expectations, while some libraries lack the funding, technology-support capacity, space, and infrastructure (e.g., power, cabling) to reach the expectations of each respective group” (4). That is, libraries were at their capacity to meet demands for Internet access, even as demand was growing.
The authors discuss differences between states, noting that states with active state libraries seemed to fare better, and they conclude that, “the state library can play a significant role in ensuring sufficiency of Internet access in public libraries in a state” (11).
They also discuss the need to identify “best practices” that more successful states can share with other states to help improve access and services.
This report also documents factors other than workstations that are integral to the subject of Internet access. These factors include the speed and quality of the connections, library hours, wireless access, and training in using the Internet.
“How to Close the Digital Divide? Fund Public Libraries.”
Celano, Donna C. and Susan B. Neuman. “How to Close the Digital Divide? Fund Public Libraries.” Education Week 29, no.28 (Apr 7,2010): 33.
The authors of this article are both university professors of communication, and their opinions matter. However, this article—as its title suggests—is basically a plea for funding for public libraries and had little to do with my topic. It does, nonetheless, contain some good quotes and may be useful for that purpose.
The authors of this article are both university professors of communication, and their opinions matter. However, this article—as its title suggests—is basically a plea for funding for public libraries and had little to do with my topic. It does, nonetheless, contain some good quotes and may be useful for that purpose.
“The Digital Divide & Public Libraries: a First-Hand View.”
Agosto, Denise E. “The Digital Divide & Public Libraries: a First-Hand View.” Progressive Librarian, no.25 (Summer 2005): 23-27.
In this fascinating article, the author compares the resources and services of three branch libraries within the same library system. In particular, she looked at the computer and Internet capabilities and found vast inequities.
After comparing the resources, the author identified three factors that contributed to the inequities. The first was an uneven distribution of resources such as computer workstations within the same library system. The second was a difference the amount of support private residents provided to augment the libraries’ resources. The third was a difference in the amount of support from local commercial entities (25).
Because the author was comparing specific branches, the data were more detailed, as in workstations per patron, and made the findings of larger studies more real to me. This was a short, but very powerful article that highlighted the differences in access to the Internet between communities. It also included specific examples of how the lack of access had a negative impact on particular people, such as the man who was going for a job interview but couldn’t get his resume finished before his interview because he didn’t have a computer at home and the library could only allow him 30 minutes on their public access computer. The library had imposed the time limit because it had only two public access computers and, at the time the man was trying to finish his resume, there was a two-hour waiting list of other people wanting to use the computer.
In this fascinating article, the author compares the resources and services of three branch libraries within the same library system. In particular, she looked at the computer and Internet capabilities and found vast inequities.
After comparing the resources, the author identified three factors that contributed to the inequities. The first was an uneven distribution of resources such as computer workstations within the same library system. The second was a difference the amount of support private residents provided to augment the libraries’ resources. The third was a difference in the amount of support from local commercial entities (25).
Because the author was comparing specific branches, the data were more detailed, as in workstations per patron, and made the findings of larger studies more real to me. This was a short, but very powerful article that highlighted the differences in access to the Internet between communities. It also included specific examples of how the lack of access had a negative impact on particular people, such as the man who was going for a job interview but couldn’t get his resume finished before his interview because he didn’t have a computer at home and the library could only allow him 30 minutes on their public access computer. The library had imposed the time limit because it had only two public access computers and, at the time the man was trying to finish his resume, there was a two-hour waiting list of other people wanting to use the computer.
"The Role and Value of Public Libraries in the Age of Digital Technologies.” Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 37, (Dec
Aabo, Svanhild. “The Role and Value of Public Libraries in the Age of Digital Technologies.” Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 37, (Dec 2005): 205-211.
Although the title made this article sound promising, the author’s focus is mostly on the role of public libraries as meeting places in the digital age. She includes discussion of the Internet, but more in terms of how the Internet has affected library use. That is, she examines the effect of the Internet on the demand for public library services.
The only part of this article that relates to my report is a section on social inclusiveness and citizenship. In this section, she discusses the importance of the “ability to access, adapt and create new knowledge using information and communication technology,” especially as it relates to social inclusion (208).
However, the author is more concerned with the role of the public library as a “cross-cultural, low-intensive meeting place” (209), as a place to increase community involvement, rather than as a point of access to the Internet.
She writes that her article focuses “on a widening of the digital gap and a weakening of social participation and involvement,” but, in fact, she writes very little about the digital gap and more about the weakening of social participation and the role she sees for public libraries in terms of strengthening community bonds.
Although the title made this article sound promising, the author’s focus is mostly on the role of public libraries as meeting places in the digital age. She includes discussion of the Internet, but more in terms of how the Internet has affected library use. That is, she examines the effect of the Internet on the demand for public library services.
The only part of this article that relates to my report is a section on social inclusiveness and citizenship. In this section, she discusses the importance of the “ability to access, adapt and create new knowledge using information and communication technology,” especially as it relates to social inclusion (208).
However, the author is more concerned with the role of the public library as a “cross-cultural, low-intensive meeting place” (209), as a place to increase community involvement, rather than as a point of access to the Internet.
She writes that her article focuses “on a widening of the digital gap and a weakening of social participation and involvement,” but, in fact, she writes very little about the digital gap and more about the weakening of social participation and the role she sees for public libraries in terms of strengthening community bonds.
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