In its latest filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the American Library Association (ALA) highlights the vital role libraries play in communities by supporting workforce development, small business creation, life-long education, and access to government resources through public access computer terminals and broadband Internet access.
The ALA’s Friday filing responded to the FCC’s call for comments regarding the relationship between economic development and broadband – particularly broadband adoption – and how broadband access spurs businesses’ productivity and growth. Public libraries serve the information needs of the community by providing access to online resources and services and directly strengthen the economic stability and quality of life in communities across the country. Public libraries are also community anchor institutions, and bringing broadband to the library will result in greater broadband availability to the entire community.
“Over one hundred years ago, Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of over 1,600 public libraries in the United States because he understood the critical role they played in the education and economic empowerment of the public,” said Dr. Mary Alice Ball, Chair, Telecommunications Subcommittee of the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OTIP).
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