What is the Digital Divide?

The "Digital Divide" is the term given to the gap in technology access/ownership between those who have Internet access and those who are either too poor to afford Internet access or live in rural or remote areas with no Internet access. In simple terms, the Digital Divide is the gap between the Internet "haves" and "have nots." The Benton Foundation estimates that "there are an estimated 429 million people online globally, but even this staggering number is small when considered in context. For example, of those 429 million, fully 41% are in North America. Also, 429 million represents only 6% of the world's entire population." Such statistics mean that large segments of the world's population have no way of participating in the information economy. Without Internet access, economically marginalized populations will suffer even greater development gaps than they already face.

Bridging the Digital Divide, nationally or internationally, entails more than supplying communities with computers. Information literacy must be integrated in the quest to bridge the Digital Divide. This means that a sustained and holistic training approach must be used to ensure that individuals can realize the technology's potential. When the Digital Divide is bridged, people are able to access the information and opportunities that the Internet offers.

Where do libraries fit into the picture?

If you have visited your local public library recently, you may have noticed that the library contains more than books and periodicals. Most public libraries in the United States, according to the 1998 National Survey of U.S. Public Library Outlet Internet Connectivity, offer public Internet access. Often, these public Internet access computers are people's only connection to the Internet. It is for this reason that libraries have come to be in the position to bridge the Digital Divide.

Libraries have a long-held value of people's universal access to information. This universal access to information mission, coupled with the library's focus on enhancing basic literacy as well as information literacy, makes bridging the Digital Divide an excellent mission for libraries. According to the American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy Brief, "Libraries and the Digital Divide," "The mission of libraries, as well as their associated services, programs, and technologies, is a key reason that libraries are indeed central to Digital Divide solutions and partnerships. Libraries, especially public, school and academic libraries, are the only institutions that are already structurally and programmatically prepared to fully address many of the Digital Divide issues." Libraries are more than repositories for books and periodicals, libraries function as community and information centers and are using their position to bridge the Digital Divide.

The best example of using libraries to bridge the Digital Divide comes from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. According to the foundation's factsheet, the U.S. Library Program alone has made amazing strides: "More than 6,600 libraries have been reached, 28,000 PCs granted, and 8,100 librarians trained." Also, their International Library Initiatives are demonstrating how essential libraries to providing universal access to a population. Perhaps the most impressive example of this is the foundation's Chilean Library Program, where "368 Chilean public libraries will benefit from a US$9,284,339 million grant. The grant will provide training, computers and Internet access for all the libraries." Such intiatives can only help to lessen the gap between the Internet "haves" and "have nots." There is a long way to to before the Digital Divide ceases to exist, but every home and library that is connected to the Internet brings society one step closer to conquering this problem.

GOVENRMENT AND DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION:

U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Office of International Affairs Related International Websites:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/oiahome/dianelist.html#DEVELOPMENT%20ISSUES
-This site features many links on the Digital Divide, especially from a government and policy perspective. The NTIA also provides this highly informative Digital Divide metasite:

Falling Through The Net
http://www.digitaldivide.gov/
-This site is not limited to the Digital Divide in the U.S. It has a section devoted to international aspects of the Digital Divide

U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology's Digital Divide
http://www.ed.gov/Technology/digdiv.html
-This site has a section that deals with the International Digital Divide. Many government Digital Divide initiatives are outlined here, especially initiatives that come from an educational perspective.

U.N. Report on Bridging the Digital Divide
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/global/ecom/01022301.htm

United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS)
http://www.unites.org/
"The UNITeS is a global volunteer initiative that allows volunteers from any country to give their skills and time to extend the opportunities of the digital revolution to developing countries."

Hammond, Allen L. "Digitally Empowered Development." Foreign Affairs 80, no 2, March-April 2001.
-Discusses the need to integrate digital initatives in international development efforts.

RESEARCH and ORGANIZATIONS:

Digital Divide Network
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/
A major digital divide metasite created by the Benton Foundation. Their International Issues section links to digital divide news, articles and web resources.

InfoDev
http://www.infodev.org/
The World Bank's Information for Development Program promotes "information and communication technologies for social and economic development."

Kagan, Alfred. "The Growing Gap between the Information Rich and the Information Poor both within countries and between countries: A composite policy paper." IFLA Journal 26, no. 1.
Paper also online at: http://www.ifla.org/VII/dg/srdg/srdg7.htm.

The Soros Foundation Internet Program
http://www.soros.org/internet/index.html
-A global organization dedicated to the bridging of the Digital Divide.

Webiography for Digital Divide and Libraries: Equity and the Internet
http://web.syr.edu/~jryan/infopro/divide.html
Compiled by Joe Ryan

REGIONAL APPROACHES

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Library Programs
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/libraries/internationallibraryinitiatives/announcements/announce-323.htm
-Chilean Library Program

LINCOS
http://www.lincos.net/
-A project by the Costa Rica Foundation and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Media Laboratory that takes old shipping containers and turns them into community computer centers.

Hilbert, Martin R. "Latin America on its path into the digital age: where are we?" United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean paper number 104, June 2001.

Askt, Daniel and Mike Jensen. "Africa Goes Online", Carnegie Corporation of New York, June 2001.

South Asia Network Organization
http://www.sasianet.org/digitaldivide.html
-This article ("Struggling with the Digital Divide") outlines Digital Divide issues being faced in South Asia and provides recommendations for bridging the South Asian Digital Divide.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Internet Access in Central and Eastern Europe.
http://www.cdt.org/international/ceeaccess/
-The Center for Democracy and Technology's detailed report on Central and Eastern European Internet connectivity and regional Digital Divide challenges.

e Europe: An Information Society for all
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/index_en.htm
-A European Union Digital Divide initative.

United Kingdom Department for Education and Skills' E-Learning initiative.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/index.htm

Australia's National Office for the Information Economy's Digital Divide site
http://www.noie.gov.au/projects/access/community/digitaldivide/Digitaldivide.htm
-Explores Australian initiatives to bridge the Digital Divide.

UNITED STATES DIGITAL DIVIDE PROJECTS AND ORGANIZATIONS

America Connects
http://www.americaconnects.net/

American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP)
http://www.ala.org/oitp/digitaldivide/brief_dd_libraries.html
-The American Library Association's OITP policy brief on the libraries and the Digital Divide.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Library Programs
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/libraries/default.htm
-Features U.S., Native American and International library initatives.

Computers in Our Future
http://www.ciof.org/

The Digital Divide Project
http://www.washington.edu/wto/digital/

HEAVEN (Helping, Educate, Activate, Volunteer & Empower via the Net)
http://www.hubheaven.org/

Joint Venture Digital Divide Resources
http://www.siliconvalleydigitaldivide.net/
-California organization focused on bridging the digital divide. This site has links to state and national resources, funding opportunities, and community technology centers.

PBS's Digital Divide series
http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide/index.html

PowerUP
http://www.powerup.org/index.shtml

Technology Access Foundation
http://www.techaccess.org/