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How Libraries Are Leading the Way to Digital Equity
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How Libraries Are Leading the Way to Digital Equity

Deborah Fallows
The Atlantic, 2021
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When the pandemic struck, the world moved online. This switch left many people behind and particularly hurt those who lack internet access, most notably the poor. Now, as pandemic rules relax, libraries are seeking to close the digital divide and offer more people the lifeline of online connection. Writing in The Atlantic, Deborah Fallows reveals the changing role of libraries amid technological change. She includes interactive maps exploring connections between neighborhood income levels and computer usage that illuminate libraries’ vital contribution to their communities.

Take-Aways

  • Libraries offer computers and broadband internet connections to their customers based on community needs.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the United States’ growing digital divide.
  • Post-pandemic, the role of libraries is evolving as they attempt to bring the internet to their communities.

About the Author

Deborah Fallows writes for The Atlantic magazine and coauthored Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America with her husband, James Fallows.

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