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Nearly Half of Poor Americans Rely on Library For Internet Access, Study Says

by Amar Toor on March 26, 2010 at 04:50 PM

As part of its push for the adoption of its National Broadband Plan, the FCC has continually argued that Internet access, in today's economy, has become a necessity for anyone seeking to climb the rungs of society. Now, a newly published study shows just how important it is for the poorest American populations, in particular.

The report, based on the first large scale study of public library computer use, finds that no less than 44-percent of people living below the poverty line depend on their local public libraries to access the Internet. Using results from telephone surveys of nearly 50,000 people, researchers also found that a third of all Americans over the age of 14 used library-provided Internet in 2009, and that a full 40-percent of all those who used the library's Web access did so to find employment. 37-percent of users went to the library to research medical issues or look up a doctor online, while 42-percent used it in some other educational capacity.

The study, which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, comes at a fortuitous time for the FCC's ambitious proposal for broadband expansion. But it also highlights the sobering reality that, despite the growing demand, many libraries are struggling to provide resources to those in most need. As ArsTechnica reports, about a third of all public libraries claim they don't have the digital infrastructure or the manpower to keep up with the surging consumer demand they're now facing.

Low income Americans, therefore, are now dealing with a pair of twin crises that threaten to squeeze them out of the broadband picture altogether. Not only does the US rank embarrassingly low on the connectivity totem pole, but our public safety net is showing signs of erosion. The bottom line remains the same: not enough Americans have Internet access, and the costs are only mounting. Whether it's by funneling more money to public libraries or by implementing a widespread access plan, something's gotta be done to bridge the gap. The longer we wait, the further behind our most needy citizens will fall. [From: University of Washington, via: ArsTechnica]

Tags: bill and melinda gates foundation, BillAndMelindaGatesFoundation, broadband, broadbandaccess, fcc, infrastructure, libraries, low income, LowIncome, national broadband plan, NationalBroadbandPlan, needy, poor, study, top, web, web access, WebAccess

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