172 Organizations, Including Several from the Library Community, Call on Congress to Increase Broadband Speeds with Future Proof Fiber
From a Letter to U.S. House and U.S Senate Leadership (via INCOMPAS):
We urge Congress to provide full funding to universally build networks that will deliver capacity that will meet local needs for decades and to ensure rigorous scrutiny of recipients of federal dollars so that the program achieves the legislation’s future-proof goals. It is time to act to end the digital divide forever by passing a national broadband infrastructure program that will deliver universal, affordable, 21st century ready access.
Eighty-five years ago, Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act to connect American homes with electricity. Through decisive government action, universal access to electricity was delivered. That decision changed the lives of Americans by giving them an opportunity to participate in the modern world. It also helped bind America together, bridging a distinct divide that existed in the country. Today, Congress can demonstrate the vision that its predecessors showed decades ago by connecting every American with the 21st Century equivalent of electricity – broadband.
Library Organizations That Signed the Letter Include:
- American Library Association
- Alaska State Library
- Chief Officers of State Library Agencies
- Denver Public Library
- EveryLibrary Institute
- Jeff Davis County Library
- Kansas City Public Library
- San Jose Public Library
- Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition
- Shreve Memorial Library
- Sonoma County Library
- Urban Libraries Council
Direct to Full Text Letter
3 pages; PDF.
Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Funding, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Public Libraries
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.