Understand and Improve Library Broadband Challenges

American Library Association

Tuesday, April 6, 2021 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Time Zone: 
CST
Virtual Event

Rural and tribal libraries across the US helped create the Towards Gigabit Libraries toolkit, a free, self-service guide for rural and tribal libraries to understand and improve their broadband and technology resources. If you're struggling with technology in your library, please join this interactive webinar to learn about the toolkit and how it can help you seek solutions. 

At the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

- Enumerate the technology and broadband challenges their library faces
- Describe what topical areas are covered by the Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit
- Identify how the toolkit can help their library's broadband and IT challenges
- Connect with other libraries facing the same challenges
- Download the free Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit to use it for their library
- Link up with Stephanie and Carson to get more involved

Who should attend: Rural, tribal, and urban librarians who want to get a better understanding of and improve upon their library's existing broadband and IT infrastructure.

Presenters:

Carson Block has led, managed, and supported library technology efforts for more than 25 years. He brings a user-centered technological perspective, with an emphasis on transparent and powerful solutions, with some “gee whiz” thrown into the mix. Carson’s passions include leading technology visioning and planning, creating highly-functional work groups, technical design (including infrastructure, RFID, and points of self-service), and project management with a focus on technology solutions tailored for each library and its community.

Stephanie Stenberg is Director of the Internet2 Community Anchor Program, where she works with regional networking partners, community anchor institutions, and Internet2 membership organizations to support mutually beneficial goals of bringing networking, trust and identity services, and advanced applications to community anchor institutions nationwide. Since joining Internet2 in 2018, she has been part of three Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded grant projects focused on libraries and connectivity., publishing, and working on projects related to management, inclusion, accessibility, Universal Design, user experience, and technology.