New York City Has An Internet Inequality Problem

Last Monday night, Mark Zuckerberg published a post announcing Facebook's new initiative to bring Internet access to the developing world. The blueprint for internet.org mapped out how Facebook and a host of phone company allies might connect an additional 5 billion people online through more affordable access, increasing data efficiency, and investing in local business infrastructure. It came with a video that depicted IRL social interactions in developing countries, along with a soundtrack cut from a JFK speech and soft, inspirational piano tones. As the Atlantic's Alexis Madrigal deftly pointed out, no one can call this ignoble, or unreasonable, even. Simply put, increased Internet access is a good idea––though the other message Facebook was trying to sell, the one that equated the company with peace and progress, was hokey at best. But there's another facet of Internet access that Internet.org does not address, and that's Internet inequality right at home, in cities that otherwise rank as some of the most "connected" places on the planet. New York City is already well–known for its ample (and growing) income inequality. But on Wednesday, Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer put out a report showing that the city's public schools and libraries vary widely when it comes to its broadband speeds. The report revealed that over 75% of New York City schools had maximum download speeds of 10 megabits per second, 100 times slower than the 2020 goal outlined by President... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2013-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]

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New PLA Survey Illustrates Critical Digital Role Played by Public Libraries

The report, '2020 Public Library Technology Survey,' provides a current, detailed snapshot of how libraries serve as digital equity hubs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-09-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Define 'Reasonable': Can Maryland's New E-book Law Help Change the Marketplace?

Maryland's recently passed library e-book law will require any publisher offering to license "an electronic literary product" to consumers in the state to also offer to license the content to public libraries "on reasonable terms." The question now is: what are reasonable terms? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-08-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Which international city’s public libraries lend the most books per capita?

The pandemic has prompted, among other things, a slew of relocations. Some of those relocations (ie. to your mom’s house) have proved, or will prove, temporary; others, encouraged by new work-from-home policies, may become permanent. Or maybe you’re one of those people who looked around at the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-07-21 17:19:56 UTC ]
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Demolishing Public Libraries From The Inside: Niles Public Library Is a Warning

The Niles-Maine Public Library in suburban Chicago is being destroyed from the inside by politically-conservative Board officials. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-07-15 10:40:00 UTC ]
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New York Legislature Passes Library E-book Bill

New York this week became the second state to pass a bill that would ensure public libraries the right to license and lend e-books that are available to consumers in the state. The bill is now headed to governor Andrew Cuomo's desk. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Maryland Library E-book Bill Becomes Law

The new law requires any publisher offering to license "an electronic literary product" to consumers to also offer to license the content to public libraries on "reasonable" terms. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Libraries are crowdfunding an open access collection of American prison newspapers.

Here’s an incredible archival project you might not know about: Reveal Digital is partnering with academic and public libraries to fund an expanding, open access collection of American prison newspapers. “American Prison Newspapers, 1800-2020: Voices From The Inside” is collecting and digitizing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-05-28 17:24:30 UTC ]
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How to watch former President Obama and Ava DuVernay at the L.A. Times Book Club

Former President Barack Obama and filmmaker Ava DuVernay discuss "A Promised Land" at the L.A. Times Community Book Club. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-21 21:09:15 UTC ]
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President Obama, Ava DuVernay bring 'A Promised Land' to L.A. Times Community Book Club

Barack Obama and filmmaker Ava DuVernay will discuss the former president's memoir "A Promised Land" April 21 in a livestreamed event for the L.A. Times Community Book Club. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-16 01:25:03 UTC ]
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'Oh, how earnest I was then': President Obama's political awakening in 'A Promised Land' excerpt

Former President Obama joins the L.A. Times Community Book Club April 21 to discuss "A Promised Land" with filmmaker Ava DuVernay. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-16 01:17:49 UTC ]
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Canadian libraries increasingly scrapping late fees to boost access to services

Long considered a tool to encourage patrons to return materials on time, in the past few years hundreds of public libraries have decided late fees do more harm than good by keeping away low-income and disadvantaged readers.  Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2021-02-21 09:00:00 UTC ]
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ACE makes £152,000 grant for library e-books and audio

Arts Council England (ACE) is awarding £152,000 to help public libraries buy e-books and digital audio products after demand soared during the pandemic. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-21 11:35:36 UTC ]
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Virtual library 'a wake up call' for sector over promised national website

The free provision of e-books for children by Oak National Academy has been branded a "wake up call" for a sector still awaiting its long-discussed shared website for all public libraries. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-21 04:54:52 UTC ]
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BiblioBoard, PW’s BookLife Launch New Library E-book Program for Self-Published Authors

BookLife Elite will offer public libraries access to a curated collection of unlimited, simultaneous-use indie e-books, meaning library readers can access the books instantly—no holds lists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Unexpected Joys of Little Free Libraries

You can still borrow books for free even when public libraries are closed, though each personal collection has its own character. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-01-08 17:38:20 UTC ]
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2020 was a great year for at least one thing: digital book loans from public libraries.

If you, like me, could really use some nice library-oriented news right about now, you’re in luck. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the impossibility of going to physical libraries for much of the year, readers borrowed record numbers of ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines from public... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-07 15:34:02 UTC ]
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The Skillset Podcast #9: Ilona Kisch on Public Library 2030

It’s largely accepted as a truism that libraries connect and work together—interlibrary loan, consortia, union catalogs. However, working together and connecting is not a simple task. Add in different histories, cultures, languages, political systems and you begin to get a sense of what... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-12-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Most Popular Under-The-Radar Books in U.S. Libraries: July–September 2020

Take a peek at the most popular under-the-radar books in public libraries across the United States for the 2020 third quarter. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-12-09 11:33:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing in Talks to Offer E-books to Public Libraries

The potential deal would be a breakthrough moment in the library e-book market as Amazon currently does not make its digital content available to libraries. It would also be a major coup for the Digital Public Library of America's upstart e-book platform and its SimplyE library reading app. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-12-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Why Are Chicago Public Libraries Still Open Amid Soaring COVID Rates?

Demand an explanation for why Chicago Public Libraries are open to in-person services while COVID positivity rates soar above 15%. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-11-27 15:17:51 UTC ]
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