The FCC’s E-rate program connects the U.S.’s schools and libraries to broadband. In a survey of E-rate recipients, the FCC learned that nearly half of respondents reported lower speed Internet connectivity than the average American home – even though on average libraries have nearly 200 times as many users¹. To expand broadband capacity, the FCC adopted the E-rate Modernization Order on July 11, 2014.

In order for a modern library to be successful, it must have high-capacity broadband. But to take advantage of this new phase of the E-rate program, libraries actually need to apply. Use the following programs and resources to help your library get the broadband it deserves.

A LEAP toward Better Broadband

The American Library Association (ALA) and the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) started the Library E-rate Assessment Planning (LEAP) project to develop strategies to increase broadband capacity in libraries. The two-year initiative will target libraries in five pilot states: Alaska, California, Iowa, Kentucky, and North Dakota.

This pilot program will help state-level entities provide technical support and develop best practices to assist E-rate applicants so they can fully participate in and benefit from the FCC’s program. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which administers the E-rate program, helped ALA and COSLA identify the gaps in services to libraries.

Marijke Visser, associate director of the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy, said that the USAC will work closely with the LEAP Advisory Group to develop state strategies that can be scaled to benefit libraries throughout the nation².

A Crowdsourced E-Rate Website for Libraries

If your library isn’t in one of the pilot states, there’s still help available to you. The ALA E-Rate Task Force (ERTF) wants to ensure that all libraries have the information they need to take advantage of E-rate so they came up with the Library E-Rate Clearinghouse³. This website will aggregate and crowdsource resources to assist libraries in understanding broadband planning and E-rate funding.

The goal of the Clearinghouse is to establish best practices and be a trusted resource for those just starting to explore the world of E-rate. Library staff will also have the opportunity to share their resources and advice to the greater community by way of the Clearinghouse.

An Opportunity for Tribal Libraries

According to the Whitehouse’s Broadband Opportunity Council Report and Recommendations, broadband deployment and adoption in Tribal Lands is well below national averages. And broadband speeds of at least 25 Mbps (download) and at least 3 Mbps (upload) are available to only 37 percent of people living on Tribal Lands. For context, 92 percent of urban households have access to these broadband speeds⁴. Clearly, there’s an opportunity for tribal libraries to take advantage of E-rate funding and build up the broadband capacity of their communities.

But according to the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museum’s (ATALM) Digital Inclusion in Native Communities report, only 15 percent of tribal libraries it surveyed had received E-Rate discounts in 2013. The report suggests that this low number can be attributed to “complicated eligibility requirements and a general lack of awareness” and that prior to 2013 “information about E-rate had never been disseminated specifically to tribal libraries.” But the libraries that did receive E-rate funding stated that “it makes a significant contribution to digital access and opportunities in Native communities.”⁵.

The ATALM has made equitable access to E-Rate funding a priority and encourages tribal libraries to reach out if they need assistance with the applications. Like libraries in rural and urban areas tribal libraries rely on Internet access to provide essential services to their patrons.

As Marijke Visser writes in American Libraries Magazine, Internet access is no longer optional for today’s libraries. “Without it, many library services grind to a halt and our patrons are left without access to the resources they need for education, employment, entrepreneurship, individual empowerment.”  RESOURCES

[1] “Universal Service Program for Schools and Libraries (E-Rate).” Federal Communications Commission. Accessed November 11, 2015. https://www.fcc.gov/e-rate-update.

[2] “ALA, COSLA Help Libraries LEAP Ahead and Increase Broadband Capacity.” American Library Association. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2015/10/ala-cosla-help-libraries-leap-ahead-and-increase-broadband-capacity.

[3] Visser, Marijke. “Broadband Is Coming-Is Your Library Ready?” American Libraries Magazine, November 9, 2015. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/e-rate-broadband-is-coming-is-your-library-ready/.

[4] “Broadband Opportunity Council Report and Recommendations.” U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Agricutlure. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2015/broadband-opportunity-council-report-and-recommendations.

[5] “Digital Inclusion in Native Communities Initiative.” Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://www.atalm.org/node/312.

The post Better Broadband: How Your Library Can Take Advantage of E-Rate Funds first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The E-Rate program is built to “help libraries gain affordable, high capacity broadband. . . ; boost library participation in the program; and increase the efficiency of the application and review process” for eligible libraries. Furthermore, the “Got E-Rate?” page lists information about the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reforms of the E-Rate programs and what this means to libraries, particularly public libraries. The page has a lot of information that may or may not be difficult for you to decipher, so I recommend taking a look at “Library Leaders: E-Rate Opportunities Take Center Stage” by Marijke Visser.

Visser breaks down the main take-aways of the E-Rate program with these points:

1. About $1.5 billion has been added to the funding for the E-Rate program
2. The American Library Association, Public Library Association, state library agencies, and other organizations will produce E-rate resources that are aimed to provide libraries that are interested in applying for E-rate funding with “communications, education, practical tools, and technical support.”
3. Increasing broadband capacity is not simply for rural libraries, but also applies to suburban and urban libraries that may need to expand their services.

After reading both of these articles, I had a few initial thoughts:

1. As a librarian, I am (typically) aware and/or reminded of the digital divide in communities. Connecting and working with librarians throughout the state and nation has exposed me to the different resources available (or unavailable) to public libraries and the disparities between communities. However…
2. …as an individual, I tend to forget about things like the “digital divide.” This is easy to do when I’m in my own little world, streaming music from my iPhone on my way to work, and watching Netflix on Apple TV at home. But…
3. ..the digital divide is real. Just take a look at the statistics, “How Americans Go Online” published by Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Library Project. The graph shows the correlation between lower income and education levels with lower access to Internet usage at home and in general. Race and geographic location affect the result.

The Internet is a necessity for not just checking email or research, but also for applying for jobs, learning new technological skills, and gaining confidence. If a person is unable to have broadband access at home, it is all the more imperative that their local library have sufficient access to not only bridge the gap in the digital divide, but also in digital literacy. What are your experiences with broadband access in your community?

Sources

“Got E-rate?” Got E-rate? Web. 22 Feb. 2015. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/goterate

“Library Leaders: E-rate Opportunities Take Center Stage.” District Dispatch. 28 Jan. 2015. Web. 1 Mar. 2015. http://www.districtdispatch.org/2015/01/library-leaders-e-rate-opportunities-take-center-stage

“How Americans Go Online.” Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS. 24 Sept. 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2015. <http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/09/25/how-americans-go-online/>.

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Maximizing impact
In addition to increased funding, changing the types of services that are allowed for reimbursement will more specifically target the audience this funding is intended to reach: students without reliable wireless connectivity. The program aims to reach an additional 10 million students by 2016.

Modernization
The plan shifts funding away from what was known as “Category 1” services toward “Category 2” services. This will move funding in phases toward broadband-related needs like wireless service and away from standard telephone service, web hosting, and text messaging. Funding for email services is also eliminated.

Funding discontinued for the following Category 1 services:

• 900/976 call blocking
• custom calling services
• direct inward dialing
• directory assistance charges
• email
• inside wire maintenance plans
• paging
• text messaging
• voice mail
• web hosting

Category 2 services include those needed to establish and maintain broadband connections within libraries and schools. Category 2 services qualifying for FY2015 e-rate funding include:

• Access points used in a local area network (LAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN) environment (such as wireless access points)
• Antennas, cabling, connectors, and related components used for internal broadband connections
• Caching
• Firewall services and components
• Switches
• Routers
• Racks
• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)/Battery Backup
• Wireless controller systems
• Software supporting each of the components on this list used to distribute high-speed broadband throughout school buildings and libraries
• Repair and upkeep of eligible hardware
• Wire and cable maintenance
• Configuration changes
• Basic technical support including online and telephone based technical support
• Software upgrades and patches including bug fixes and security patches

Streamlining
One of the most notable changes is that a technology plan is no longer required for funding. The application is designed to make the process “faster, simpler and more efficient” than it has been in previous years. All documents will be filed electronically. The emphasis will be on faster turnaround times so that schools and libraries can focus their resources on building strong, internal broadband and wireless systems.

Resources
USAC Schools and Libraries E-Rate Modernization Order

District Dispatch: New Year, New E-rate: E-rate implementation begins

District Dispatch: E-rate modernization process in the news

The post FY2015 E-rate Funding Targeted Toward Expanding and Modernizing Wireless Networks in Schools and Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.