Washington, DC. Public libraries have become essential points of access to the Internet and computers in local communities, with nearly every library in the country offering public internet access. Yet, individual library practices can have significant affect on the quality and character of this public service. Opportunity for All: How Library Policies and Practices Impact Public Internet Access, offers an analysis of the service in four public library systems and makes recommendations for strategies that help to sustain and improve public access service. The report was funded through a partnership between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and was produced by the University of Washington Information School. [Read more]
Access to the Internet has become a central part of American society, helping all of us in many areas of our daily lives. Over the past twenty years, libraries and community technology centers have taken on the role of public access centers for those who are unable to reach the Internet at home or work, for reasons ranging from lack of financial resources to personal preference. The U.S. Impact Study is examining the users and use of these public services to better understand the impact of free access to computers and the Internet on the individuals, families and communities served by these public and private resources.