Library Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs — via the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-rate program — are a complement to broadband providers and a permanent connection at home, not a replacement for those connections.
That’s what Larra Clark — Deputy Director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Policy and Advocacy Office and Deputy Director of the Public Library Association — told Telecompetitor in an interview.
Clark advocates for library broadband programs like hotspot lending because she believes internet access unlocks a world of education and economic opportunity. “How people find information, engage with information, and engage with the world has become so much more mediated by technology and the internet,” she said.
“The internet… opens all of these opportunities, and, if you don’t have access, you may not be aware of these opportunities. Or you know [opportunity is] there and just can’t afford to make it happen.”
What Is a Library?
Clark pointed out that, over time, the purpose of a library has changed. A library “used to be scrolls and papyruses, and now they offer streaming media.” It’s “a place everyone is welcome, where people try to connect their communities to resources.”
She described libraries as trusted institutions that respond to a specific community’s needs. She called libraries “hyper-local,” and said she often quotes a twist on a familiar axiom: “If you’ve seen one library, you’ve seen one library.”
Today, Clark said, “America’s libraries are a cornerstone of digital equity. The work we’ve always done and will continue to do is to make sure everybody has access to the internet and technology.”
Libraries, Broadband Access, and Broadband Providers
When the FCC first considered expanding the E-rate program to make room for schools and libraries to offer Wi-Fi hotspot lending, voices from the broadband industry were concerned. NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association submitted official comments to the FCC, arguing that “providing a subsidized hotspot to a household makes little sense when a robust connection already exists at the particular household.”
But Clark doesn’t see hotspot lending programs as either in competition with or unable to coexist with the connection a broadband provider brings to a home.
“Library hotspot lending was critical during the pandemic, but it doesn’t compete with home broadband. It’s a complement and a stopgap, but it’s not the end goal. We know our patrons want and need consistent, affordable, reliable high-speed internet. That is the work of providers.
“We don’t want to see this as an either/or,” she said. “We think [library hotspot lending] is a complementary add-on.”
Library broadband programs, Clark contended, are intended to provide connectivity — whether in the library and at home, via Wi-Fi hotspots — primarily to those who cannot afford their own connections or who only have access to poor service.
“It feels like an ‘all hands on deck’ moment right now. That includes libraries and schools, providers, national funders — we have the opportunity to collaborate to increase awareness and confidence in using the internet, and all that it can enable for folks.”
The Future
Clark noted that promoting broadband is something everyone in the U.S. can get behind: “Access, affordability, and digital skills are the three legs of the stool. They may express themselves differently in different communities, but they’re agreed on across the political spectrum.”
As she looks to the future of library broadband programs, she points to access and digital skills as paramount. When asked about her ultimate vision for the future of broadband, Clark said, “Most simply, it’s ubiquitous connectivity anywhere and everywhere people are, including libraries.
“But,” she went on, “I also want to re-emphasize the skills and lifelong learning element. Access is a foundational first step or gateway, but it’s not enough on its own… there is a national shift in perspective to develop an expectation and accessible pathways for lifelong learning. Of course, I believe libraries — and schools and other community anchor institutions — are an essential part of how we get there.”
