The digital divide...by April

For those of you who aren't very familiar with the term "digital divide" like I wasn't, it is defined by dictionary.com as " the socioeconomic and other disparities between people who have opportunities and skills enabling them to benefit from digital resources, especially the Internet, and those who do not have these opportunities or skills." This divide can be created by various factors such age, location, income, skills, language and even a combination of these things. When this divide exists, many people are dependent on the community or local libraries to bridge the gap. The following is a very simplified illustration of this that I found online:

http://ci-journal.net/index.php/ciej/article/view/293/318

Libraries play a large role in helping to bridge this gap simply by providing computers with free internet access. Library computers are often used for homework, medical or healthcare research, employment searches, or simply to stay connected to family and friends from around the world,  For those without the skills or confidence to use a computer, many libraries also offer computer training classes to educate and empower the users. This is very important for seniors who may have never used a computer before or job seekers who need to enhance their skills.

According to the 2011 census, about 25% of Americans do not have a computer in their homes, and 30% do not have access to the internet (see link for more information). 

http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdf

With such staggering numbers, libraries obviously face struggles. Often budget constraints don't allow them to get enough computers to satisfy the community's needs, causing users to wait in line for a computer. Language barriers can also be an issue and may require library staff who are bilingual. Sometimes, the library hours just aren't long enough to accommodate everyone's needs.

And the digital divide is not just an American issue, it's a global issue. According to http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm about 34% of the world population do not use the internet.

If libraries can keep pace with technology and are successful in getting the needed budget, they can continue to help bridge this gap for those who are willing to learn.