Building the Future: Addressing Library Broadband Connectivity Issues in the 21st Century

1. LITA President’s Program ALA Annual Conference — June 2011 Building the Future: Addressing Library Broadband Connectivity Issues in the 21st Century Bob Bocher WI State Library Fellow, ALA Office for Information Technology Policy 608-266-2127, robert.bocher@dpi.wi.gov (dpi.wi.gov/pld/litabb.ppt)

2. Topics to Cover • The U.S. broadband (BB) landscape • The National Broadband Plan (NBP) • The library broadband landscape • Addressing library broadband issues The issue is no longer Internet access but improving the quality of access as the demands of the medium and patrons grow rapidly. —OITP Broadband Connectivity Report (2007)

3. The U.S. Broadband Landscape We need to develop a broadband strategy just like every other industrialized nation. —FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, 2005. • Household BB access 66%, but varies • Address BB access via marketplace • More BB based on more competition, which is driven by less regulation • 2002-05 FCC deregulates BB, raises Net Neutrality issue • U.S. one of few developed nations with no BB plan • Plan mandated in ARRA • Other ARRA broadband programs • Infrastructure (BTOP) • Mapping

4. NBP: Key Long-term Goals (released March 2010, http://www.broadband.gov) 1: Every American should have affordable access to robust broadband and at least 100 million homes have access to 100Mbps or more. 2: Community anchor institutions (CAI) should have affordable access to at least 1Gbps. Using its regulatory authority, the FCC is initiating over 60 actions to implement the NBP goals and recommendations. “This isn’t just about faster Internet. It’s about connecting every part of America to the digital age.“ –President Obama, State of the Union Address, Jan. 2011

5. NBP: Several Key FCC Actions/Recommendations • E-rate reform: Allow fiber by any entity (Sept 2010) • High Cost reform: Transition to new Connect America Fund for broadband (open docket) • $4.6 billion annually now supports voice telephony • With BB, voice just another service – VoIP • ALA: Use CAF for libraries too* • Create national coordinating entity, the “U.S. Unified Community Anchor Network” (U.S. UCAN) • Recommendation from Internet2 *ALA comments at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021239757

6. Public Library Broadband Landscape* • 65% offer the only free Net access in their communities • 86% offer wireless access (29% in 2005) • 91% offer jobs-related databases • 99% offer periodical and reference databases But… • Libraries find the BB landscape confusing • Bandwidth increases are not meeting demand * Data from ALA Libraries and the Internet surveys at http://www.plinternetsurvey.org/?q=node/13

7. 2010 Public Library Broadband Stats Rather than spelling the demise of public libraries, the Internet holds new service opportunities. -- Public Libraries and the Internet rpt. , 1994 . We have a 3Mbps connection but at 4pm it is so slow it’s like being on dial-up. -Comment from ALA Technology Access Study

8. Addressing Library Broadband: BTOP Grants • 61 grants will increase bandwidth to 2,381 libraries • Internet2 awarded $62 million • Augment national backbone; add 11,800 miles of new fiber and upgrade 10,000 miles of existing fiber • Create U.S. Unified Community Anchor Network (U.S. UCAN) • National: Use I2 network infrastructure • State/local: Use R&E network infrastructure Give a non-profit institution the mission and capability to focus on the broadband needs of public institutions. --NPB, Chapter 8.

9. Addressing Library Broadband: U.S. UCAN • Some R&E networks already serve libraries, schools, etc. • Leverage expertise of R&E networks • High quality bandwidth • Network engineering and IT support • Procurement and contracts • U.S. UCAN challenges • Connect 150,000 CAI? • 66,000 connected now • Economic issues • Task Force report out for comment • Last mile issues Expanding the R&E network model to other anchor institutions will offer tremendous benefits. Many CAI lack resources to undertake the many tasks necessary to maximize their utilization of broadband. --NPB, Chapter 8.

10. Addressing Library Broadband: OITP Activities • Advocacy: • OITP files comments with the FCC, visits FCCstaff, NTIA, etc. • OGR tracks Congressional action, makes Hill visits • Collaboration: • Works with many groups, (SHLB Coalition, Gates Foundation, Internet2, etc.) • Education: • Workshops, news releases, conference programs, publications * See OITP website: http://www.ala.org/oitp

11. In Summary: Addressing Library Broadband • NBP recognizes library and other CAI broadband needs • FCC reform of E-rate and High Cost programs • Encourage cooperative initiatives, like the U.S. UCAN • Need strong advocates, like ALA/OITP Q&A from an OITP focus group on broadband. • Q: What is sufficient broadband? • A: As much as you can afford. • A: More than we have. • A: It’s based on the number of irritated patrons. • A: When you click, it happens.

12. LITA President’s Program ALA Annual Conference — June 2011 Building the Future: Addressing Library Broadband Connectivity…Questions?? Bob Bocher WI State Library Fellow, ALA Office for Information Technology Policy 608-266-2127, robert.bocher@dpi.wi.gov (dpi.wi.gov/pld/litabb.ppt)

13. We need a national goal for universal ,affordable access to broadband by 2007. —President Bush, 2004. Return

14. State R&E Networks and Libraries* There are 38 state R&E networks and 22 serve at least some libraries. See the Gates Foundation report Connections, Capacity, Community… for more details. Return