Digital Equity

Issues In Librarianship

What is digital equity?

In short, digital equity is when everyone has a fair shot at accessing the benefits of technology in our increasingly tech-dependent world. Attaining this means ensuring everyone can access affordable and reliable internet, digital information, and the digital literacy skills to use them effectively. It's like having a library card and knowing how to read.

What makes digital equity so important?

In the last few decades, digital literacy and internet access have grown increasingly necessary for full participation in professional, academic, political, social, and economic spheres—a trend that will only continue as more and more of our world moves online. From the shift to web-based job recruitment to the adoption of online learning management systems in education, individual and community development are inextricably linked to computer use.

In rural and urban areas alike, a digital divide persists, whereby economically disadvantaged folks are less likely to have access to the internet or the skills required to use it effectively and safely. This disparity is apparent right here in Illinois. According to Illinois Broadband Lab, basic internet service is unavailable to over 285,000 households in Illinois, and more than 1.1 million residents in the state lack the devices and necessary skills to access the internet. We all have a stake in bridging the digital divide: it's vital to empowering our communities.

In fact, digital equity is so crucial that the United States government has recently invested over $45.2 billion to support bridging the digital divide. As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, over $1 billion of that investment has been allocated to the State of Illinois via two programs:

  • The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program focuses on building the infrastructure. It provides funding for expanding broadband access to unserved and underserved communities, with funds earmarked for utilizing libraries and other "public anchor institutions" as hubs.
  • The Digital Equity Act (DEA) focuses on ensuring that everyone can benefit from this new infrastructure. It offers grants for digital equity initiatives, such as affordability programs and digital literacy training.

Find definitions and more information here: Broadband for Libraries

How can my library get involved?

Libraries are already key players in digital equity efforts, offering access to computers and printers, user training, research support, and more. As such, your library is uniquely positioned to increase service adoption as state and federal broadband expansion efforts roll out. You can provide up-to-date community technology centers, expanded digital literacy education programming, and the like! You can also help ensure equitable access to the information your library is offering is accessible to those with slow internet speeds, impaired vision or hearing, and of varying degrees of internet literacy.

Get Started or Level Up

1. Learn.

Develop your (or your staff's) digital literacy or fluency.

The first step to joining the fight to bridge the digital divide is ensuring you and your staff are digitally literate. This is necessary not only for educating your patrons, but also for ensuring that you're providing access to reliable internet and upgrading your library's devices for greater utility. Use the resources below to develop your digital skills and comprehension to the first—or next—level.

Resources for Learning

2. Upgrade.

Update (or add to) your library's technology.

Selection, acquisition, and weeding are vital to keeping a collection that meets users' information and entertainment needs. Likewise, device maintenance, technology updates, and device rotation are crucial to meeting your community's evolving digital needs. Browse these resources to navigate that process. 

Resources for New Tech

3. Connect.

Ensure your internet is reliable and your website and catalog are accessible.

A reliable internet connection is essential to achieving digital equity. Your library's ability to provide quality internet generally depends on its location and budget. Review these resources to evaluate your connection, find affordable broadband options, or participate in Illinois' exciting new broadband expansion initiatives. 

Resources for Broadband

4. Comply.

Improve the accessibility of your website and meet ADA website requirements.

By making websites accessible, we're making sure everyone can access and find the information they need. Additionally, state and local governments hold special obligations under the American with Disabilities Act and related rules to make their website and the information on it accessible. Luckily, much of this work can be done immediately and with minimal training.

Resources for Website Accesibility 

5. Teach.

Offer programs & resources to grow your patrons' digital skills.

Next, find out how to support your community's digital literacy development, empowering them to navigate the online world effectively. Help them access essential information and services online, from applying for jobs and managing finances to connecting with loved ones and furthering their education. Review these toolkits, learning platforms, and more to help your patrons unlock the full potential of the digital world. 

Resources for Teaching

 

Check out our resources on Digital Equity Grants to help fund your programming, upgrades, and internet connection. Also, review these resources for tech support.

Guides to Steps 1-5

1. Learn.

Digital Literacy Education & Programming

Training Your Staff

For Adult Learners

  • Digital Promise promotes fair educational systems by integrating solutions from research, practice, and technology.
  • DigitalLearn Training provides various training materials related to computers and technology for adult learners.
  • EveryoneOn is a nonprofit working to bridge the digital divide by providing affordable high-speed internet, computers, and digital literacy courses to unconnected Americans. Information is available in English and Spanish on the website.
  • GCF Learn Free presents no-cost educational resources online covering a variety of subjects, including technology and digital literacy.
  • ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) offers practical advice, evidence-supported professional development opportunities, online communities, and gatherings to bolster digital literacy among educators and adults.
  • NorthStar Digital Literacy offers assessments and tutorials online to assist adults in enhancing their digital literacy skills.
  • PLA Digital Literacy Instruction Playbook delves into various topics like digital literacy training, getting started with training programs, basics for staff, available resources, training the trainers, partnering for support, and strategies for measurement and evaluation.

For Children & Young Adults

Additional Reading

Teaching Digital Literacy & STEM (kidsparkeducation.org)

For College Students

Tech Support

IHLS is considering applying for funding that would enable us to offer more robust, in-person support to our members. However, we're at the beginning stages of this endeavor. For now, we encourage you to contact our IT staff for remote assistance or use one of these resources.

Our members have had access to discounts at the following vendors:

(Note: Some vendor discounts may have expired, but vendors may still honor them. We will be updating our discount database in the coming months.)

These are independently discounted tech support services:

 

2. Upgrade.

Keeping your community technology center and staff technology up to date.

What is a community technology center?

A General Explanation. Community technology centers (CTCs) are public spaces offering free access to the internet, as well as computers, printers, and other technology. There, members of the public are invited to use these resources for all kinds of education, research, communication, entertainment, administrative, and creative pursuits. These spaces typically also offer user training (formal or informal), helping users develop digital literacy and technological skills. As a result, CTCs are invaluable assets to rural and underserved communities where large swaths of the population lack access to these resources at home. At community technology centers, patrons can complete college and job applications, learn internet safety, register to vote, connect with old friends online, and much more!

Your Library's CTC. When the term "community technology center" was popularized in the late '90s and early '00s, CTCs mostly offered public-access computers with internet connections, printers, and knowledgeable staff. These days, most public libraries provide those resources anyway—even if they don't use the term "community technology center." If your library doesn't offer those fundamentals, you could use a digital equity grant and the resources listed on this page to set up your CTC. If your library already offers internet, computers, printers, and education, you can use a digital equity grant to upgrade or expand your existing resources. Whichever group you fall into, our membership and IT experts can help you figure it out.

Examples of CTCs

Starting Your Library's CTC

Digital Equity Grants

Applying for State Digital Equity Grants

To apply for grants from the State of Illinois, you’ll need:

Luckily, many of the required registrations and paperwork for state grants are a one-time task that will allow you to apply for other state and federal grants more easily, so applying will open some doors for you.

Also, the Illinois Office of Broadband recently held a webinar on state grant basics on May 29, 2024. The recording of the webinar is available on YouTube. Sign up for the two upcoming webinars (in June) by registering for the Digital Equity Grants Capacity Building Series

 

Links & Resources for State Grants 

 

Grant-Writing Help

Our Membership Team has experience applying for grants and offers one-on-one consulting. Reach out to one of our Membership Coordinators or our Associate Director here. If you're not ready to speak to another person about your grant application, we recommend looking into these resources to help you prepare your application.

Also, watch the recording of this Illinois Office of Broadband webinar:

How to Write a Great Grant Application

Participants will learn how to write strong digital equity grant proposals, including understanding the NOFO and essential grant components such as program narrative, budget, project plan, impact measurement, and scoring criteria. 

We’ll post a recording here shortly after the webinar happens.

Remember: You can always reuse the text in your application for additional grant applications so that the work won't go to waste. 

 

Consider These Grants

The following ongoing or annual grants can help you achieve similar digital equity goals. While the deadline is past for most of these, we anticipate they'll begin accepting applications for a new cycle in the coming months—giving you time to prepare your application!)

 

Featured Grant Programs

Digital Equity Capacity Kickstarter Grant

IHLS encourages public libraries to apply for the Digital Equity Capacity Kickstarter (DECK) grant offered by the Illinois Office of Broadband (IOB). The projects the grant funds are scalable, and our Membership Coordinators can provide expert consultation on grant writing. So, even small libraries can—and should—apply! In fact, the DECK program has specific funds available to help public libraries provide Affordable Connectivity Program outreach and community technology centers.

Applications will be accepted until funds run out.

What kinds of programs qualify for this grant?

The grant will fund projects and initiatives supporting digital skill building, broadband adoption, use, and device access. For libraries, this means community technology centers (offering devices like public access computers, mobile hotspots, wireless printing, Chromebooks, etc.) or digital literacy education and outreach programming.

How will the applications be judged?

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) outlines several criteria broken down by point value (total of 100 points). For ease of reading, we've placed those criteria and their point values into a table that resembles a rubric, available here.

 

3. Connect

Getting Reliable Internet

Broadband Expansion Efforts

CARLI, Illinois Heartland Library System, and Reaching Across Libraries System (RAILS) have joined together to build BroadbandforLibraries, a cohesive statewide library voice related to the role of libraries in digital equity and broadband funding. Illinois libraries of all types—public, academic, school, and special—cooperatively form a fabric of support and services to school children, adult learners, retirees, college students, and every other type of resident. Let's make sure broadband decision-makers hear all these library voices.

Also see Digital Equity Grants for information about getting broadband funding for libraries.

Evaluate & Upgrade Your Internet Service

Test your internet speed and learn what those numbers mean. If you don't currently have broadband, learn more about getting broadband. And make sure you're using the Federal E-Rate Program to keep your costs low.

 

4. Comply.

Upcoming Webinars from IHLS and RAILS

Wednesday, June 12, 10–11 a.m.
The Modern eAccessibility Landscape

This highly interactive webinar includes information on processes and outcomes of the work of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Make your library less vulnerable to eAccessibility complaints by learning what a library needs to do to create and maintain an accessible digital footprint. Discuss how content creators play a big role in compliance; learn how screen reading software interprets digital material for users; talk about equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility functions for visually impaired users on the web; and more!

 

July (Date TBA)
Making Your Website More Accessible (Without Rebuilding It From the Ground Up)

Website accessibility continues to gain importance as organizations realize that there are serious legal consequences for websites that aren’t usable by people with disabilities. However, it is not always immediately practical to rebuild a website in its entirety to meet accessibility criteria. Examine the legal landscape, and then we’ll break down some concrete actions and changes you can make specifically to your website’s content to make it more accessible by people with visual disabilities.

 

General E-Accessibility Guidance:

 

ADA Compliance Website Checkers:

These free tools allow you to put in your website’s address and runs a free check on whether your website is compliant and what areas need improvement.

 

5. Teach.

This section is under construction.

 

 

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