Broadband
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
Reports and Briefs:
- ALA Broadband Policy Priorities 2026 (1/26)
- 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)
