Myths About the Digital Divide

MLA, Kalamazoo MI
Jessamyn West

Handouts & Files

• Slides - PDF , Keynote format, PowerPoint format

Links to cited sources

Where we are

• National Broadband Map
• Broadband availability in VT (pdf)
• Connect Michigan maps
• Wisconsin Broadband usage data
• Competing media messages image
• Pew Research Center's reports on Internet & Technology
• Broadband Adoption and Use in America & NY Times summary [pdf]

Why Libraries?

• ALA: State of America's Libraries 2010
• Jakob Nielsen's Three Stages of the Digital Divide
• Manhattan phone directory "How to dial" instructions

Common misconceptions

• NYC Broadband landscape report
• Flowtown Teens & Cell Phones infographic (related Pew report Teens and Mobile phones)
• Pew Internet & American Life Project August 2010 report about adoption slowdown
• Arbitron smartphone slide
• Non users would need help getting online graphic from Pew Home Broadband report
• IRS Advancing E-file Study
• William James and the Will to Believe

Working Examples

• Other funding: Smart Investing, NLM
• VLA blog post about disaster assistance
• Libraries improving thigns: Jason Griffey on ebooks and DRM and libraries, Library Renewal, Change.org Harper Collins petition, Cornell's public domain decision, UMich Orphan Works project, Open Library
• Kimball Library strategic plan
• Occupy Wall Street photo