Pew Research Center recently published a report on How Americans Value Public Libraries in Their Communities. Spoiler alert: People love their libraries. Here are a few highlights…

• 95% of Americans ages 16 and older agree that the materials and resources available at public libraries play an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed;
• 95% say that public libraries are important because they promote literacy and a love of reading;
• 94% say that having a public library improves the quality of life in a community;
• 81% say that public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere.

And here are a few technology related highlights…

• 56% of internet users without home access say public libraries’ basic technological resources (such as computers, internet, and printers) are “very important” to them and their family, compared with 33% of all respondents.
• 42% of those who are currently looking for a job say using the internet, computers, or printers at a public library is “very important” to them and their families, and 68% of job-seekers say it is either important or very important overall.
• 43% of those living with a disability say using the internet, computers, or printers at a public library  is “very important” (67% say it is important overall), as well as 48% of those with a health problem that makes reading difficult (69% say it is important to them and their families overall).
• 56% of internet users without home access say using the internet, computers, or printers at a public library  is “very important” to them and their family, and 77% say it is important overall.

As a librarian I love to see this. As a broadband proponent, I like to know how the libraries are serving folks, how equitable the coverage is and is it funded. (Libraries are the bastion of unfunded mandates.)

Libraries get federal support to pay for broadband from E-Rate funds. I recently had an opportunity to look at what sort of connectivity libraries had and at what price. I was very surprised! To put it into perspective, when I worked at MRNet 16 years ago, the goal was to get T1 (1.5 Mbps) to each library system, which might mean a T1 to the main library and 56K to branch libraries. Now the state goal is 10-20 Mbps upstream and 5-10 Mbps downstream for residents. Here is how some of the Minnesota libraries stand:

• Some rural libraries are in slow shape
  • Pioneerland Library System libraries have T1 connections (with the exception of Willmar). Annual cost per library is about $15,600.
  • Plum Creek Library System libraries are in better shape with 7-10 Mbps down and 1 Mbps down. Annual cost range between $800-1200 per library.
• Metro libraries were in better shape.
  • Washington libraries are consistent with 16 Mbps bandwidth – annual costs ranged greatly from $671 to $18,000.
  • Ramsey County is in good shape with connectivity ranging from 30 Mbps to 1 Gbps. A few of the libraries had no costs; the others ranged from $4,000 for a Gig in Mounds View to $13,000 for 30 Mbps in Maplewood.
• There are a few rural systems in pretty good shape.
  • Great River Regional is predominately 10 Mbps with a few libraries enjoying  100 Mbps – but the annual average cost per library hovers over $10,000.
  • East Central libraries are predominately 100 Mbps – with one library enjoy a Gig and two at 10 Mbps. Costs range from $5,000 to $14,000 – just to note the high cost does not cover the high bandwidth.

As you can see, it’s inconsistent at best. That is part of the reason I suspect the ALA (American Library Association) is asking the FCC to do more with E-Rate…

The ALA calls for new E-rate funding to jumpstart and sustain high-capacity and high-speed Internet connections that support digital learning and economic development through libraries and schools. The current funding cap on the program consistently falls far short of meeting basic demand for Internet-enabled education and learning services, and technology trends clearly show needs and future capabilities only are growing. To address this, ALA supports a two-pronged approach: 1) New temporary funding is needed to support the build-out of high-capacity broadband networks and especially provide increased support for libraries with the lowest levels of broadband connectivity. 2) A permanent increase in funding is not only justified but is a sound investment for the country.

“Current funding does not reflect the economic reality faced by libraries and schools as they try to upgrade their broadband services,” said Emily Sheketoff, director of the ALA Washington Office. “This FCC proceeding provides an important opportunity to add more funding to the program and increase the value of the program to libraries, schools and our communities.”

ALA’s comments also encourage the FCC to:

• Provide additional E-rate discounts for remote rural libraries that often confront  the greatest broadband costs;

• Streamline the E-rate’s application review process to incent consortium purchasing and replace E-rate program procurement rules with those of the applicable locality or state;

• Lower barriers to deployment of dark and lit fiber and ownership of wide area networks when they are the most cost-effective ways to deliver high-capacity broadband to libraries and schools;

• Work in cooperation with the library and schools communities to develop scalable bandwidth targets and benchmarks for measuring progress against these targets; and

• Eliminate the Form 470 and allow applicants to file an “evergreen” Form 471 for multi-year contracts.