This page features select publications authored by members of the Digital Equity Action Research (DEAR) Lab. Names in bold indicate DEAR Lab members.
Rhinesmith, C., Uba, E., Adewunmi, J., & Bennett Glauda, C. (2026). Digital navigation as a sociotechnical system: A state and national digital equity policy perspective. Proceedings of the TPRC54, The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. September 25-26, Washington, D.C.
Rhinesmith, C. (2026). Digital equity ecosystems: How community coalitions reduce inequality and strengthen democracy. University of California Press.
Rhinesmith, C. (2026). Public libraries, digital equity coalitions, and the public good. Public Library Quarterly, 45(1), 94–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2025.2452060
Rhinesmith, C. (2025). Digital Navigators of the Hudson Valley: Report highlights and recommendations. Southeastern New York Library Resources Council.
Dagg, P. R., Knittel, M., Rhinesmith, C., & Oh, J. (2025). Beyond access and infrastructure: Evaluating the impact of local contexts on digital equity strategies through the lens of the digital opportunities compass. Journal of Information Policy. https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.15.2025.0006
Rhinesmith, C., & Kang-Le, S. (2025). Understanding the value of a digital equity researcher-practitioner collaboration using participatory action research. Journal of Participatory Research Methods, 6(2), 177–206.
Rhinesmith, C., & Prasad, R. with Stratton, C., & Clark, L. (2025). From the ground up: Investing in the human Infrastructure of broadband. Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/Ground-Up-Infrastructure-Investing.pdf
Rhinesmith, C. (2024). “It’s one of the most important things we carry for us”: How mobile hotspots support people experiencing homelessness. Mobile Media & Communication, 12(2), 274-292. https://doi.org/10.1177/20501579231212061
Rhinesmith, C. (2023). Digital equity and justice in Maryland: Opportunities and challenges. Digital Equity Research Center, Metropolitan New York Library Council. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.20233.83041
Rhinesmith, C. (2023). Community informatics and artificial intelligence. The Journal of Community Informatics, 19(1), 1-2. https://openjournals.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/JoCI/article/view/5583
Bauer J. M., Dagg, P. R., Rhinesmith, C., Byrum, G., & Schill, A. (2023). A comprehensive framework to monitor, evaluate, and guide broadband and digital equity policy. Proceedings of the TPRC2023, The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. Available at SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4557340
Rhinesmith, C., Krongelb, M., & Kang-Le, S. (2023). Developing a digital equity theory of change with Tech Goes Home. Tech Goes Home. techgoeshome.org/our-reports
Rhinesmith, C., Dagg, P.R., Bauer, J.M., Byrum, G., & Schill, A. (2023). Digital opportunities compass: Metrics to monitor, evaluate, and guide broadband and digital equity policy. Working paper, Ann Arbor, MI: Merit Network, Inc. and East Lansing, MI: Quello Center. https://quello.msu.edu/broadband/do_compass-pdf/
Rhinesmith, C. (2023). Missing pieces: How the FCC’s Broadband Map misrepresents public libraries. School, Libraries, Health and Broadband Coalition and American Library Association.
Rhinesmith, C., Krongelb, M., & Jiang, J. (2022). The Digital Equity Leadership Lab (DELL): A case study of community leadership development to promote digital equity and justice. The Journal of Community Informatics, 18(1), 104-131. https://doi.org/10.15353/joci.v18i1.4875
Ritzo, C., Rhinesmith, C., & Jiang, J. (2022). Measuring library broadband networks to address knowledge gaps and data caps. Information Technology and Libraries, 41(3). https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v41i3.13775
Rhinesmith, C., & Santo, R. (2022). Digital equity ecosystems measurement framework. Digital Equity Research Center, Metropolitan New York Library Council. https://metro.org/digital_equity_ecosystems
Glaze, S., Rhinesmith, C., Webb, C., Roach, S., Quintanilla-Muñoz, C., Krongelb, M., Rivers, T., Martinez, S., Green, A., Flores, L. (2022). The digital equity action research (DEAR) fellowship: A participatory action research project. Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/DEAR.pdf
Doran, M., Rhinesmith, C. and Arena, S. (2021). Perspectives of community partner organizations in the development of ethical service-learning guidelines. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 27(1), 155-180. https://doi.org/10.3998/mjcsloa.3239521.0027.107
Rhinesmith, C., Dutilloy, J., Kennedy, K., McCann, L., Ritzo, C., Bullen, G., & Stenberg, S. (2020). Co-designing an open source broadband measurement system with public libraries. In L. Stillman, M. Anwar, C. Rhinesmith, & V. Rhinesmith (Eds.), Proceedings – 17th CIRN Conference 6-8 November 2019, Monash University Prato Centre, Italy: “Whose Agenda: Action, Research, & Politics.” (pp. 153-176). Department of Human Centred Computing, Monash University.
Reisdorf, B., & Rhinesmith, C. (2020). Digital inclusion as a core component of social inclusion. Social Inclusion, 8(2), 132-137. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v8i2.3184
Rhinesmith, C., & Kennedy, S. (2020). Growing healthy digital equity ecosystems during COVID-19 and beyond. Evanston, IL: Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. http://benton.org/digital-equity-ecosystems-report
Strover, S., Whitacre, B., Rhinesmith, C., & Schrubbe, A. (2020). The digital inclusion role of rural libraries: Social inequities through space and place. Media, Culture & Society, 42(2), 242-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443719853504
Rhinesmith, C., Reisdorf, B., & Bishop, M. (2019). The ability to pay for broadband. Communication Research and Practice, 5(2), 121-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2019.1601491
Rhinesmith, C. (2019). Community informatics. In G. Ritzer & C. Rojek (Eds.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology (2nd Ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeos1457
Reisdorf, B., & Rhinesmith, C. (2018). An asset-based approach to digital inclusion research in the US context. In Massimo Ragnedda and Bruce Mutswairo (Eds.), Digital Inclusion: An International Comparative Analysis. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Rhinesmith, C., & Stanton, C. L. U. (2018). Developing media literacy in public libraries: Learning from community media centers. Public Library Quarterly, 37(4), 420-440. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2018.1525527
Sweeney, M., & Rhinesmith, C. (2017). Creating caring institutions for community informatics. Information, Communication & Society, 20(10), 1482-1497. DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2016.1234635
Rhinesmith, C., & Siefer, A. (2017). Digital inclusion outcomes-based evaluation. Benton Foundation. https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/outcomes-based-evaluation.pdf
Rhinesmith, C. (2016). Digital inclusion and meaningful broadband adoption initiatives. Evanston, IL: Benton Foundation. https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/broadbandinclusion.pdf
Rhinesmith, C., Dettmann, M., Pierson, M., & Spence, R. (2015). YouthStudio: Designing public library YA spaces with teens. Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults, 6(4), 1-24. https://www.yalsa.ala.org/jrlya/2015/11/youthstudio-designing-public-library-ya-spaces-with-teens/
Whitacre, B., & Rhinesmith, C. (2015). Public libraries and residential broadband adoption: Do more computers lead to higher rates? Government Information Quarterly, 32(2), 164-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2015.02.007
Rhinesmith, C. (2012). Free library hot spots: Supporting broadband adoption in Philadelphia’s low-income communities. International Journal of Communication, 6, 2529-2554. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/1782