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.
About Reaching Across Illinois Library System
RAILS is a regional library system, a government agency that provides services to libraries in the northern and west-central areas of the state of Illinois. RAILS serves approximately 1250 private, public, school, and university library members, which have a total of more than 4000 library facilities in a 27,000 square mile area. Although the city of Chicago is within RAILS boundaries, and a number of their member libraries are located in Chicago, the Chicago Public Library constitutes a separate library system. Members have several opportunities to network with each other through email lists, networking groups, member updates, and at networking events. – Adapted from “What RAILS Is And Does“