Broadband | Digital Equity Action Research (DEAR) Lab | School of Information Sciences

New Book Published on Digital Equity Ecosystems

Title of book shown against a black background, which is above a picture of blue water in an estuary surrounded by greenery and a flock of white birds seen from above.

I’m thrilled to announce that my new book, titled “Digital Equity Ecosystems: How Community Coalitions Reduce Inequality and Strengthen Democracy” is now available from the University of California Press. The book introduces an ecosystem approach to study and understand the role of community coalitions in promoting digital equity and social justice. In addition, the book describes how these coalitions work to protect the environment through technology refurbishing while also providing spaces for democratic communication and civic participation in public life.

The book was featured in the iSchools Book Talk series and more information about the book can be found online at the publisher’s website.

Here is an excerpt from the Introduction, which describes the main argument and goals for the book.

In this book, I highlight and uplift stories of “ordinary” people—including educators, librarians, pastors, managers, neighbors, parents, and friends— doing extraordinary things in communities to help other people and our planet. This book underscores how a sense of community can be built by listening and paying attention to these everyday social interactions focused on care. The pandemic reminded us about the importance of digital technologies in our everyday lives, as well as about the face-to-face interactions that we need to solve problems and heal our natural world. However, if we are going to continue this work, we must move beyond an embrace of individualism and towards an embrace of interconnectedness with each other and the earth. By focusing on human and community interactions such as those highlighted in this book, I believe we can learn more about the things that connect us at a basic human level, which can also inspire us to create a better world for one another. At the same time, we must continue to question the role of digital technologies in supporting or limiting the possibilities for such interconnectedness.

The Blueprint for Equitable Digital Participation

A virtual meeting with five participants, four women and one man, all smiling. Name labels identify Caroline Stratton, Claudia, Dominique, Dr. B. Risendorf, and Colin Rhinesmith. Captions appear at the bottom of the screen. (alt text by alttext.ai)

I was honored to participate in a webinar on July 1st to celebrate Dr. Alisa Valentin and Claudia Ruiz’s excellent new paper, titled “The Blueprint for Equitable Digital Participation” from Public Knowledge, UnidosUS, and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA).

From the Benton Institute: “This webinar, featuring the authors of The Blueprint for Equitable Digital Participation and leading experts in the digital equity field, will offer ideas for how policymakers can ensure low- to middle-income households across America can gain and sustain access to high-speed, reliable internet, connected devices, and digital skills.”

It was wonderful to join Alisa, Claudia, and my other amazing colleagues, Regina (Gina) D. Cooper Benjamin, Dr. Dominique Harrison Aluko, Dr. Bianca C. Reisdorf, and Dr. Caroline Stratton.

More information about the event can be found here: https://www.benton.org/event/blueprint-equitable-digital-participation

New Digital Equity Research Project with RAILS

We are thrilled to partner with the data and technology team at the Reaching Across Illinois Library System on a new project to investigate the digital equity capacity of Illinois libraries!

While existing studies have identified the role of public libraries in addressing their communities’ digital equity needs, there is little research on the digital equity capacity of public libraries in Illinois. For example, existing scholarship has documented the digital inclusion services provided by public libraries across the U.S. Other studies have examined the role of “Digital Navigators” in addressing a communities’ digital needs beyond the walls of the public library. Several dissertations at Illinois have sought to address gaps in the existing scholarship on public libraries, digital inclusion, and broadband infrastructure. But there is currently a lack of research on the digital equity capacity of Illinois libraries that can be helpful to state and regional library agencies working to support these libraries.

This research seeks to address this gap in practice and scholarship through a partnership with the data and technology services team at the Reaching Across Illinois Library System. The purpose of the research is to achieve through the following objectives: (1) determine effective ways to measure the digital equity and literacy needs of the populations served by RAILS libraries; (2) identify key methods of collecting and interpreting data about the effectiveness of digital equity resources in RAILS libraries; and (3) establish key metrics that can be used to measure the effectiveness and impacts of a digital equity program or model for public libraries in Illinois.

New Article in Journal of Information Policy

Thrilled to have another journal article published this year, titled “Beyond Access and Infrastructure: Evaluating the Impact of Local Contexts on Digital Equity Strategies Through the Lens of the Digital Opportunities Compass.” The article was co-authored with my wonderful colleagues Dr. Pierrette Renée Dagg, Dr. Megan Knittel, and Joon Oh revised from an earlier version originally presented at The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy (TPRC) 2024.

Here is the abstract:

“This article presents a multiple case study of context in shaping local digital equity policies in three communities in Michigan, United States. Few studies have systematically investigated local context to understand its potential impacts on the development of sustainable information policies in rural communities. By applying the Digital Opportunities Compass, a framework for examining contextual factors that impact community-based digital equity programs and policy, the study found that local context can both positively and negatively impact the development of policies and programs. These findings have implications for local and state policymaking, particularly for considering the community assets and invested champions.”