Broadband
Broadband Quick Links
Overview
24 million U.S. households still lack home internet. America’s libraries are essential to closing the digital divide and ensure communities across the country have access to broadband and the digital skills needed to thrive in every aspect of life. Libraries work in our communities to 1) provide internet access both at and beyond the library, 2) spur home adoption by increasing awareness of and confidence in using online resources and services, and 3) support digital learning opportunities that boost K-16 education, workforce skills, entrepreneurship and telehealth and use of emerging technology and devices.
Libraries not only offer public access to the internet, devices and digital collections, but library workers themselves are continuously developing new digital content, e-learning services, and other tools that depend on unfettered access to the internet.
ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy office follows broadband deployment and adoption issues closely, focusing mainly on availability, affordability, and universal service concerns. ALA is dedicated to preserving an open internet and the FCC's network neutrality rules, modernizing the Lifeline program, and ensuring that all libraries have access to affordable high‐capacity broadband communications services. ALA also strongly backs the creation of new opportunities for underserved, rural and tribal communities to access the internet, and efforts to ensure that sufficient and appropriate spectrum continues to be available for public use. Decision makers at the White House, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, the U.S. Congress, and other public and private entities can and should look to libraries as critical players to make broadband work for everyone.
Explore our Broadband and Digital Equity resources using the quick links above.
ALA Actions
- Advocate for policies and funding that enable libraries to help achieve universal broadband access & adoption. Broadband is a human right. Endorse programs and initiatives that improve access, affordability, and adoption for low-income, tribal, and rural communities.
- Oppose legislation that fails to preserve the core principles of network neutrality.
- Advocate for improvements to the FCC's E-rate program to make it easier for libraries to access funding for high-capacity broadband connectivity.
- Endorses efforts in Congress and at the FCC to improve rural and tribal broadband access and to increase the amount of unlicensed spectrum available to support critical library technology services
- Support libraries with resources and technical assistance to access federal and state funding for digital equity programs, broadband infrastructure, and technology.
Broadband Resources and Tools
- Digital Equity and America’s Libraries (1/23)
- Leverage Libraries to Achieve Digital Equity for All (10/22)
- Equitable Opportunity for Tribal Communities through Libraries (10/18)
- Libraries and E-rate: Leveraging Broadband to Provide Opportunity Across the Nation (1/18)
- Digital Empowerment and America's Libraries (1/17)
- Covid-19 Pandemic resources (archive)
Official ALA Filings & Letters
- Reply comments to the FCC on the Cybersecurity Pilot Program (February 2024)
- Comments to the FCC on the Cybersecurity Pilot Program (January 2024)
- Reply Comments of the American Library Association to the Federal Communications Commission's NPRM for Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet (January 2024)
- Comments of the American Library Association to the Federal Communications Commission's NPRM for Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet (December 2023)
- Letter to Senate Commerce Committee in support of nomination of Anna Gomez to the FCC and renomination of Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks
- Filing with the FCC recommending approval of a limited waiver for Wi-Fi Alliance (April 5, 2023)
- Comment to the FCC on proposed rules for limiting digital discrimination (February 1, 2023)
- Filing with the Department of Labor in response to a Request for Information on Digital Literacy and Resilience (February 6, 2023)
- Filing with the NTIA regarding implementation of Digital Equity Act funding for libraries, as enacted through the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (February 4, 2022)
- Letter to Senators supporting broadband provisions in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and urging passage of the bill (August 5, 2021)
- Letter to FCC urging quick action as COVID-19 Threatens Healthcare, Education (March 17, 2020)
- Letter to the FCC (Notice of Ex Parte) supporting the retention of the eligibility rules that currently preserve the educational and public interest purposes of the EBS Spectrum. (May 1, 2019)
- ALA Official Filings Archive
Coalition Letters
- Coalition Letter to NTIA urging expanded access to spectrum for commercial use
- Coalition Letter to FCC expressing concern on undercounts in the agency's BEAD broadband mapping (November 28, 2022)
- Coalition Letter to FCC in support of exploration of a Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)-style spectrum sharing model (November 17, 2022)
- Coalition Letter to Congressional leadership calling for $1 billion in additional appropriation for the FCC's Emergency Connectivity Fund (October 27, 2022)
- Coalition letter to Congressional Commerce Committee leadership calling for renewal of FCC spectrum auction authority with broader aims (October 2022)
- Coalition Letter to Congressional leadership urging action to stop Department of Transportation efforts to subvert FCC analysis (March 29, 2022)
- Coalition Letter to FCC urging extension of the Emergency Connectivity Fund & changes to the program rules (January 28, 2022)
- Coalition Letter to policymakers urging the repair of the FCC's Universal Service Fund contribution mechanism (November 29, 2021)
- Correspondence Archive
Broadband News
Staff Contact
Larra Clark
Deputy Director, Public Policy & Advocacy
lclark@ala.org
Megan Janicki
Deputy Director, Strategic Initiatives
mjanicki@alawash.org