From the desk of Rand Simmons

Congratulations to Mary Carr, Spokane Community College, and David Keyes, City of Seattle who were appointed, along with 14 others, to the Digital Inclusion Working Group by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The working group will assist in the development of a Framework for Digitally-Inclusive Communities that can be used by local communities to assess their complex needs for public access technology. The group is a response to the National Broadband Plan that recognizes the pivotal roles that libraries and community-based organizations play in providing access to high-speed internet. The National Broadband Plan charged IMLS with developing tools to assess the needs of communities for public access technology.

IMLS is working with the University of Washington and the International City/County Management Association to identify the characteristics of digitally inclusive communities in order to guide strategic public and private investments.

The group meets January 24-26 in Washington, DC.