Building on pandemic relief and recovery programs, the federal government is making historic investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in advancing digital equity, literacy, and inclusion for all. The IIJA highlights the important role that community anchor institutions, like libraries, will play in creating a digitally equitable future for all.
To amplify work happening in libraries across the nation, ALA released the report Leverage Libraries to Achieve Historic Progress Towards Digital Equity for All. This is just one of the many ways ALA advocates with and for libraries to ensure their eligibility and inclusion in federal, state, and local programs.
ALA will continue to add to this web page and share policy information, best practices, funding opportunities, and a range of resources from libraries and partner organizations to support your digital equity work. We also encourage you to share your stories with us so we can continue to promote and share the contributions libraries are making to advance digital equity in their community.
Overview
- Report: Leveraging Libraries to Achieve Historic Progress Towards Digital Equity for All
- Policy Brief: Digital Equity and America's Libraries
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Programs
- Internet For All Programs
- NTIA: A Guide for States and Territories on Leveraging Libraries in digital Inclusion Efforts
- NTIA: Digital Equity Act Programs (DEA)
- Program Info Sheet
- Digital Equity Plan Guide
- American Libraries: What Libraries Need to Know about the Digital Equity Act
- Archive of "Gearing Up for the Digital Equity Act With Libraries" webinar, co-presented by national Skills Coalition (NSC), ALA, and PLA
- Public Libraries: Federal Broadband Funding Guidelines Now Available for States to Begin Planning, Applications
- Quello Center for Media and Information Policy: Digital Opportunities Compass: Metrics to Monitor, Evaluate, and Guide Broadband and Digital Equity Policy
- NTIA: Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program (BEAD)
- FCC: Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
- ACP Fact Sheet
- Public Libraries: Libraries Eligible for New Digital Equity Outreach Funding; January 9 Deadline to apply
- ALA: Affordable Connectivity Program Outreach Fact Sheet
- Education Superhighway: ACP Adoption and Enrollment Dashboard
- ACP Fact Sheet
- NTIA: A Guide for States and Territories on Leveraging Libraries in digital Inclusion Efforts
Resources and Tools for Libraries and Other Advocates
- Getting Started
- ALA: Amplify and Connect Your Assets
- ALA: Federal Funding Resources
- NTIA: BroadbandUSA
- NDIA and NYSL: Digital Inclusion Toolkit
- Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA): Find the top library officials in your state
- ALA: State E-Rate Coordinators
- Supporting Home Broadband Adoption
- FCC: ACP Outreach Toolkit
- PLA: DigitalLearn and the Affordable Connectivity Program Basics
- Education Superhighway: Get ACP.org
- everyoneon: Find Low-Cost Internet in Your Area
- Supporting Digital Skills
- PLA: DigitalLearn
- NDIA: Digital Navigator Toolkit
- Learn More
- Benton Institute for Broadband and Society
- Pew Research Center: Digital Divide
Staff Contacts
Megan Janicki
mjanicki@alawash.org
Larra Clark
lclark@alawash.org