Digital Equity

One of the nation’s largest libraries has nearly doubled its collection spending in the last five years in an attempt to keep up with patrons’ digital demands. But the push has introduced new headaches.

Ireland-based SoapBox Labs built a speech-recognition engine based on specific accents in 193 countries, using a “for kids, by kids” approach to reading and writing instruction to make it inclusive.

Plus, the White House directs more funds toward rural Internet, Michigan announces statewide campaign to increase Affordable Connectivity Program enrollment, and more.

The company announced this week plans to expand 5G technology in the Parkston, Aberdeen and Pine Ridge areas. The upgrades also include improvements in the Three Forks region of the Black Hills.

Federal officials announced expedited measures to reach the 28 million U.S. households without high-speed Internet service. Money from the new Infrastructure Law will be available to families and Pell Grant recipients.

Rep. Mike Thompson introduced the Access Technology Affordability Act, and if passed, it would provide a refundable $2,000 credit to blind and vision-impaired people to purchase equipment that allows them to work.

The state and local organizations have been pushing to close the Internet service gaps – ahead of a looming federal deadline – through partnerships with nonprofits capable of providing high-speed connections.

Plus, Detroit’s parks are getting public Wi-Fi; the White House has launched invest.gov; New York continues to up enrollment in broadband program; and more.

The city of Aurora is embarking on a program to ensure every city resident is connected to the Internet, hoping to combine local, state, federal and private resources to build that bridge.

The Detroit Parks Coalition, along with the city and Connect 313, announced that they will be installing Wi-Fi at five parks as part of a $265,000 program aimed at closing the digital divide.

Libraries once struggled to keep up with demand for public computers. Now branches are removing them as they move toward a future built on providing a wide array of technology to patrons.

The $20 million contract meant to connect every Cleveland resident to high-speed Internet was put on hold this week when concerns were raised about whether the nonprofit DigitalC has the capabilities to see the work through.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Broadband Office and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs have announced that Ohio and Dearborn counties, the town of Moores Hill, the town of Dillsboro and the city of Rising Sun are the newest Broadband Ready Communities.

Plus, Mississippi nets more federal funds to connect residents to affordable Internet, Connecticut directs $10 million to upgrade its senior centers, and more.

Sen. Joe Manchin announced the addition of some 86,000 unserved locations to West Virginia’s portion of the FCC broadband map. The map will be used to distribute funding to areas in need of Internet expansion.

After enrollment and staffing plummeted during the pandemic, Greenburgh Eleven is the only school district in the state that hasn’t submitted an instructional technology plan that would provide funding for 2022-2025.

According to political leaders and broadband officials at a summit this week, New Mexico will get between $100 million and $700 million in federal funding to expand broadband capacity for underserved communities.

In two California localities, the city of Fresno and Merced County, partnerships with a private company have helped to create an ecosystem that enables the advancement of digital equity initiatives.