An interesting closing to the Executive Brief follows:

A Call to Action - 
There must be a greater awareness of the challenging issues facing public libraries and a renewed focus on sustainable solutions that improve the quality—as well as the quantity—of public technology access in U.S. public libraries.

Millions of people throughout the United States depend upon libraries for their access to online educational opportunities, job-seeking assistance, e-government interactions, and help in using information resources.

Almost 73 percent of libraries report they are the only source of free access to computers and the Internet in their communities. This study also revealed that public libraries indicate that their workstations are in near constant use. Although wireless access is available in almost two-thirds of libraries, there are also increased levels of service and resource demands for e-government, digital content and a range of other patron services that impose a greater load and impact on available bandwidth.

Public library advocates must focus on specific areas needing urgent attention:

Public libraries need stable and sustainable funding for technology services. Libraries currently are shifting expenditures to cover technology costs and/or relying on “soft” (non-tax) support to fund technology. In doing so, libraries mask the impacts of funding cuts and increased operating costs—sometimes until they are literally forced to close their doors.

Librarians and policymakers must re-think federal and state support to public libraries. Only a small portion of public library funding (0.5 percent) comes from the federal government, yet public libraries have important social roles and responsibilities to American society and overall quality of life. New strategies for national support to public libraries should be developed.

The public library community needs to develop new models for deploying and managing technology. In addition to participating in library networks, cooperatives and consortia that leverage shared resources, libraries need to develop strategies to work with other community organizations to promote additional public access technologies. Collaboration with educational organizations, such as public schools and community colleges, other local community groups and private sector firms may produce ideas and strategies that can integrate with, extend and/or enhance public library networked services. Such collaborations can be an important component of the library’s advocacy strategy, alleviate pressure on the public library as the sole provider of public access and create a more robust community-wide public access infrastructure.

Investing in additional public library staff and staff training activities are investments in technology. The one-on-one and formal trainings offered in libraries are essential for many patrons, and for many, this is the only avenue for them to learn how to successfully use Internet-based resources for work, school and life interests. Increasingly complex networked environments also demand dedicated IT staffing.