SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
EXPLORE +
  • About infoDOCKET
  • Academic Libraries on LJ
  • Research on LJ
  • News on LJ
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Libraries
    • Academic Libraries
    • Government Libraries
    • National Libraries
    • Public Libraries
  • Companies (Publishers/Vendors)
    • EBSCO
    • Elsevier
    • Ex Libris
    • Frontiers
    • Gale
    • PLOS
    • Scholastic
  • New Resources
    • Dashboards
    • Data Files
    • Digital Collections
    • Digital Preservation
    • Interactive Tools
    • Maps
    • Other
    • Podcasts
    • Productivity
  • New Research
    • Conference Presentations
    • Journal Articles
    • Lecture
    • New Issue
    • Reports
  • Topics
    • Archives & Special Collections
    • Associations & Organizations
    • Awards
    • Funding
    • Interviews
    • Jobs
    • Management & Leadership
    • News
    • Patrons & Users
    • Preservation
    • Profiles
    • Publishing
    • Roundup
    • Scholarly Communications
      • Open Access

August 17, 2022 by Gary Price

Report: New Research From SHLB and OTI Finds Extending School, Library Networks Key to Connecting Households

August 17, 2022 by Gary Price

From the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB):

Today, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) released a new report and case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of connecting low-income students and households to the internet by extending school, library, and other “anchor institution” networks into the community.

The economic study, conducted by Dr. Raul Katz of Telecom Advisory Services, finds that building broadband networks “to-and-through” anchor institutions is often the most cost-effective and financially sustainable option to connect students in rural and underserved areas, challenging a narrative that claims this approach is too costly. The case studies show that both large and small school districts, including Council Bluffs (IA) and Fresno (CA), are using a variety of wireless technologies and partnerships to permanently close the homework gap.

During the pandemic, an estimated 15 to 17 million students were cut off from remote learning due to a lack of home connectivity. In response, SHLB, OTI and other advocates petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow off-campus use of services funded by E-Rate and permit local schools and libraries to use these funds to directly connect student households to affordable broadband. While Congress recognized this opportunity by creating the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) in the spring of 2021, these funds were largely limited to the purchase of monthly internet subscriptions, such as mobile hotspots. Some argued that this was a more cost-effective use of ECF funding than the “To-and-Through” approach championed by SHLB and OTI.

Today’s report and accompanying case studies of 12 school and community networks offer a key revelation for policymakers and advocates as we look to make the most of last year’s historic $60 billion investment in closing the digital divide: Building broadband to-and-through anchor institutions is often the most financially sustainable and effective option for connecting students and unserved households. The case studies describe how changes in wireless technology allow anchor institutions to become hubs for extending affordable internet service to the surrounding community, often by partnering with the private sector.

Direct to Complete Publication Announcement (Includes Comments by John Windhausen Jr., Executive Director of the SHLB Coalition and Michael Calabrese, Director of the Wireless Future Project at New America’s Open Technology Institute)

Direct to Access Full Text Report and Case Studies

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News

SHARE:

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. Gary is also the co-founder of infoDJ an innovation research consultancy supporting corporate product and business model teams with just-in-time fact and insight finding.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Job Zone

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Infodocket Posts

New Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report: Generative Artificial Intelligence: Overview, Issues, and Questions for Congress

From a CRS “In Focus”: The recent public release of many GenAI tools, and the race by companies to develop ever-more powerful models, have generated widespread discussion of their capabilities, ...

Missouri: "Libraries Say They Never Offered 'Obscene' Materials, But Ashcroft’s Rule Has Them Scrambling"

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: St. Louis-area librarians are confident their children’s sections don’t include — and never have — obscene materials, but they are spending hours examining policies to make ...

Profile: "Carla D. Hayden Wants to Spread the Wonders of the Library Into Everyone’s Lives"

From University of Chicago News: In the fall of 2016, Carla D. Hayden had just been confirmed as the 14th librarian of Congress—the first woman and the first African American to hold ...

Statement: American Library Association (ALA) Welcomes White House Actions to Address Book Bans

Fron ALA (Full Text): The American Library Association (ALA) applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s steps announced today to address the rise in book bans and other attacks on LGBTQIA+ Americans. In ...

Missouri: A Kansas City Library System Has Banned LGBTQ Pride Book Displays in Children's Areas; Texas: “Seems Obscene” Says...

Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) ACRL Executive Director Robert “Jay” Malone is Leaving Organization, Will Be Succeeded by Interim Executive Director Allison Payne (via ALA) Databases CiteScore 2022 ...

New IMLS Releases Research Brief: Access to Public Library Services and Materials During the First Nine Months of...

From IMLS: The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced today the release of a research brief on the public library response to community needs during the first 9 months ...

Video: Poet and Author Amanda Gorman Joins "CBS Mornings" For Her First Interview Since Her Poem And Book,...

From CBS News (via YouTube): Poet and author Amanda Gorman joins “CBS Mornings” for her first interview since her poem and book, “The Hill We Climb,” was restricted by a ...

GPO and NOAA Partner to Increase Permanent Public Access to NOAA Publications

From a Joint Announcement: U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Central Library is working to add more than 47,000 unique items ...

Scholarly Communication: "Why Nature Will Not Allow the Use of Generative AI in Images and Video"

From a Nature Editorial: Why are we disallowing the use of generative AI in visual content? Ultimately, it is a question of integrity. The process of publishing — as far ...

NSF Releases Public Access Plan 2.0; NISO Welcomes New Board Members; & More News Headlines

AI For Drug Discovery: Digital Science Fully Acquires OntoChem Congressional Research Service (CRS) Director Under Fire Resigning at Congress’ Research Arm (via BGov) EU Busy with AI Assessing Copyright in ...

New Data From Circana: "Soaring Sales of LGBTQ Fiction Defy Book Bans and Showcase Diversity in Storytelling"

From Circana: Sales of LGBTQ fiction in the U.S. reached an all-time high in the 12 months ending May 2023, according to Circana, formerly IRI and The NPD Group, increasing by ...

University of Maryland Libraries Acquires Ford’s Theatre Records

From the University of Maryland Libraries: The University of Maryland Libraries is excited to announce the acquisition of Ford’s Theatre records. The Ford’s Theatre records will be archived with Special ...

ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Tweets by infoDOCKET

ADVERTISEMENT

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • Programs+
  • Design
  • Leadership
  • People
  • COVID-19
  • Advocacy
  • Opinion
  • INFOdocket
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Booklists
  • Prepub Alert
  • Book Pulse
  • Media
  • Readers' Advisory
  • Self-Published Books
  • Review Submissions
  • Review for LJ

Awards

  • Library of the Year
  • Librarian of the Year
  • Movers & Shakers 2022
  • Paralibrarian of the Year
  • Best Small Library
  • Marketer of the Year
  • All Awards Guidelines
  • Community Impact Prize

Resources

  • LJ Index/Star Libraries
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies

Events & PD

  • Online Courses
  • In-Person Events
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Submit Features/News
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Careers at MSI


© 2023 Library Journal. All rights reserved.


© 2022 Library Journal. All rights reserved.