I am a librarian who has been involved with Internet access for more than 10 years. So, the connection between access to technology and access to information has always been intertwined for me. Towards that end I wanted to mention the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information (MN COGI), a group that is committed to open access to public information in print, electronic and digital forms.

MN COGI is hosting a series of events for Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week (March 11-17) is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Events include:

• Monday, March 12 – Closed Doors; Open Democracies – local access to a national videoconference followed by a Minnesota-specific discussion led by Donald A. Gemberling and Katherine Engler
• Wednesday, March 14 – Digital Access – the other side of the coin…
  Featuring Catherine Settanni, who has headed the Digital Access + Equity campaign in Minneapolis that led to a strong community benefits agreement embedded in the Wireless Minneapolis contract.
• Friday, March 16 – Freedom of Information Day – the 2007 John R. Finnegan Award recipient, Gary Hill will be recognized