By Phyllis Jordan
E-Rate Program Helps Local Libraries Succeed in the Digital Age
What if there was a space where every person could access the Internet, where unemployed workers could apply online for jobs or health care and where students without computers at home could download their assignments and do research? Well, nearly every city has one, and it’s called a library.
Today, an estimated 77 million Americans use library computers or digital services each year, and nearly all libraries provide Internet access. The library is the nation’s number one source for public Internet access, especially for those households that do not have a computer with access at home.
In 1997, recognizing the importance of internet connectivity to lifelong learning, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched the E-rate program to provide schools and libraries with affordable telecommunications services, broadband Internet access and internal network connections.
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Currently, over $2.2 billion in annual federal assistance is provided to schools and libraries through this program. And while this amount has grown modestly since E-rate’s inception, it has not kept pace with the explosion of digital content and services that exist only on the Internet.
Connecting libraries to the Internet is of such importance that in some instances, local governments are taking matters into their own hands. King County, Washington, through their INet program, provides Internet services to governmental institutions including cities, libraries and schools.
Recognizing the importance of Internet access, the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) and other groups are urging the federal government to expand and reform the way the ERate program delivers financial support for digital connectivity. NLC recently launched a strategic partnership with the ULC and hosted joint sessions at NLC’s 2013 Summit on Your City’s Families in Seattle in November. “It’s important to remember that an estimated 100 million Americans still have no broadband access, particularly lowincome residents,” said Susan Benton, president and CEO
SOUTH DAKOTA MUNICIPALITIES
