Leverage Libraries to Achieve Historic Progress Toward Digital Equity for All
Channel: CNI: Coalition for Networked Information
Date: 22/02/2023

Leverage Libraries to Achieve Historic Progress Toward Digital Equity for All

Kara Malenfant, Association of College and Research Libraries and American Library Association
Michelle Frisque, Michelle Frisque Consulting Group, LLC

The United States federal government is making historic investments in advancing digital equity, literacy, and inclusion so every American can affordably access and successfully use high-speed internet to achieve their economic, educational, and social goals. Libraries of all types, including academic libraries, can apply for some of these programs. Libraries are already leaders, partners, and important stakeholders in this critical work and can build additional capacity by leveraging new funding, growing expertise, and extending outreach. In 2022, the American Library Association (ALA) released a report highlighting some of the thousands of ways America's 117,000 libraries—including school, public, community college, college and research, tribal, and special—are instrumental in supporting and advancing digital equity. In addition, an ALA toolkit includes resources libraries can use to take advantage of this historic funding opportunity in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In this program, you will learn about the new federal funding opportunities available to libraries to achieve digital equity, literacy, and inclusion goals. You will also learn how to position your library's digital equity assets and needs to policymakers, institutional leaders, and community partners to increase library visibility and secure resources to support your library's and community's digital inclusion goals in the years to come.

Coalition for Networked Information (CNI)
More information is at: https://www.cni.org/topics/diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility/leverage-libraries-to-achieve-historic-progress-toward-digital-equity-for-all

CNI Pre-Recorded Project Briefing Series: February 2023