Last March, I wrote about the Institute of Museum and Library Service (IMLS) quest to determine the characteristics of a successful digitally inclusive community. This fall the IMLS released a proposed framework for digitally inclusive communities including the following 11 principles:
- PRINCIPLE 1: Availability and affordability
- PRINCIPLE 2: Public access
- PRINCIPLE 3: Accessibility for people with disabilities
- PRINCIPLE 4: Adoption and digital literacy
- PRINCIPLE 5: Consumer education and protection
- PRINCIPLE 6: Education
- PRINCIPLE 7: Economic and workforce development
- PRINCIPLE 8: Civic engagement
- PRINCIPLE 9: Public safety and emergency services
- PRINCIPLE 10: Health care
- PRINCIPLE 11: Quality of life
- They also provide steps for creating a digitally inclusive community:
Convene stakeholders
Develop a shared community understanding of digital inclusion
Create a community action plan
Implement the plan
Evaluate and revise the plan