Idaho Digital Access Workbook

What does it mean to have everyone connected?

Terms such as the digital divide and the homework gap are often used to describe the disparity separating those with access to the internet and devices from those without; however, these terms do not always capture the complexities of our digital age. Full connection means that everyone has access to information and communication technologies, including,

1. internet services,
2. appropriate devices,
3. digital skills training,
4. technical support, and
5. online content

What is the end goal?

By addressing those elements, we work toward achieving digital access, which means everyone has what they need to thrive online.

What are Digital Skills?

Training related to Digital Literacy or Skills is fundamental. The American Library Association’s (ALA) Digital Literacy Task Force defines Digital Literacy as the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.

Forming an Action Group

To form a digital access group, you must identify local community partners interested in enhancing digital access in your community. Possible group members could include:

• Local Library Representative(s)
• Local K-12 Representative(s)
• Health Care Provider Representative(s)
• Social Services Agencies Representative(s)
• Local Agencies on Aging/Senior Centers Representative(s)
• Representative(s) of Community Groups (including groups representing the aging and disability communities)
• University of Idaho Extension Representative(s)
• Community or Economic Development Representative(s)
• Community College, College, or University Representative(s)
• Local Government Representative(s)
• Business Representative(s)
• Economic Development Representative(s)
• Other Interested Organizations

You can include a list of committee members in your digital action plan.

Setting Goals

As you recruit committee members and develop a digital action plan, it may be helpful to create a broad goal statement describing why you are undertaking this effort.

Examples include:

• To make sure that all individuals in the community who need access to online services can access and use them
• To improve internet access and digital literacy in my community
• To enable all residents to fully participate in the digital economy and society
• To enable all residents to learn online, work from home, access health care via telemedicine

In your plan, you can include your initial goal statement or a revised goal developed by the committee​.

The percentage of residents with a broadband subscription varies by county, from a high of 98% in Ada County to a low of 0% in Camas County at 100 Mbps. Below are the 10 Idaho counties with the highest broadband subscription rates of 100 Mbps:

Here are the 10 Idaho counties with the lowest broadband subscription rates of 100 Mbps:

Gather Data on Internet Service Providers

88% of consumers in Idaho have access to a wired connection with broadband speeds faster than 25 Mbps. To find out how your area compares, go to Broadband Now and enter your zip code.

Resources and Programs

Example programs and resources:

• Hot spot lending programs
• Low-income broadband assistance programs
• Locations such as libraries that offer access to Wi-Fi and computers
• Locations that offer small conference rooms equipped with videoconferencing for job interviews or telemedicine consultations
• Communities and regions can form committees to meet with telecommunications providers, develop strategies, and identify funding to improve broadband availability.

Resources for Broadband, E-Rate, & Public Wi-Fi

• Circulating Mobile Hotspots: Many libraries in Idaho and elsewhere are circulating mobile hotspots to their communities. You may have heard this called “checking out the internet” or “lending Wi-Fi.”
• E-rate & Broadband: E-rate and EOR provide funding that, when combined, can fully cover a public library’s internet service costs.
• Public Wi-Fi Map: The ICfL is developing a map of all Idaho public libraries that provide free Wi-Fi access.

Resources for Digital Data

• FCC National Broadband Map: This map displays where Internet services are available across the United States, as reported to the FCC by Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
• Idaho Broadband: The Idaho Department of Commerce’s Broadband page contains information about the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board, Idaho Broadband Strategic Plan, and federal funds.
• Internet Service Providers in Idaho: Broadband Now allows users to find and compare local internet providers. Their data comes from the FCC and is supplemented by ISPs.
• Local Estimates of Internet Adoption (Project LEIA): NTIA and the U.S. Census Bureau have embarked on an experimental project to produce single-year estimates of Internet adoption for small areas, particularly counties.
• Pew Research Center: Internet & Technology: Pew conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis, and other data-driven social science research.
• U.S. Census American Community Survey: U.S. Census Data contains information about people, places, and the economy. It is highly customizable.

Resources for Addressing the Homework Gap

• Education Superhighway: Bridge-to-Broadband: Education Superhighway is a national nonprofit aiming to close the digital divide for the 18 million households with internet access but who can’t afford to connect.

Resources for Low-Income Consumers

• Everyone On: Everyone On’s mission is to unlock opportunity by connecting families in underserved communities to affordable internet service, computers, and digital skills training.
• Google Fiber: Gigabit Internet for Public Housing: Google Fiber’s mission is to get more families in public housing online. They’ve partnered with local organizations in the cities they serve to provide residents with free internet access.
• Lifeline: is a federal program dedicated to making phone and internet service more affordable for low-income households. This benefit provides eligible consumers with a monthly discount of up to $9.25. Consumers living on Tribal lands are eligible for an enhanced discount of up to $34.25 per month.

Digital skills programming is an essential part of digital access work. Take the time to audit your current offerings. Address strategy and service and seek input from staff, partner organizations, and your community. From there, target your digital skills programming around a particular group in your area. Learn who has the most need, such as job seekers, the aging population, or English learners. Decide what topics best meet your audience’s needs and use existing resources to develop lesson plans and curricula best suited to your community.

Strategies and Programs

Example programs and resources:

• Free or low-cost classes on using the internet and common applications such as email or social media
• Individual support through staff or mentors
• Tech support services through a virtual help desk or weekly sessions

Digital Skills Example Programs

• College of Western Idaho: CWI students offer in person help for basic technical questions and digital skills practice for students and community members at 4 CWI locations. They have a Mentor Tutoring team that focuses on both digital and academic skills. They also have an English Language Learner Tutoring team that also focuses on digital, academic, and language acquisition skills.
• Starting Your Own Digital Skills Program: The Digital Skills Program Workbook is a resource for starting a program. It includes sections on setting up a program, recruiting and training staff, implementing, and measurement and evaluation.

Digital Skills Resources

• Idaho Digital Skills: Idaho Digital Skills offers Idahoans free online learning tools to increase their digital skills. Various tools and resources are available, from lessons for using a mouse to help applying for jobs online. Lessons are available in English and Spanish.
• LearningExpress: Learning Express on LiLI.org is a comprehensive collection of test preparation tools, skill-building materials, and career resources. Use to prepare for college and career, education tutoring, software tutorials, and workforce development.
• Niche Academy: Niche Academy is an online learning platform built for libraries. It contains interactive tutorials on various topics.

Online Content Resources

• ICfL’s eBranch Project: eBranch in a Box is an initiative from the ICfL to assist Idaho libraries in having a web presence to be an extension of the library by providing information about or access to library services.
• Idaho Digital E-Book Alliance (IDEA): The Idaho Digital E-Book Alliance (IDEA) is a statewide partnership between the ICfL, public libraries, and school libraries to expand access while reducing barriers to digital e-books and e-audio content via Overdrive.
• Libraries Linking Idaho (LiLI): LiLI is the gateway for Idaho residents to free online access to an array of tools and resources for their educational, business, and recreational needs.

Internet-enabled devices that meet the user’s needs are vital to digital access. There are several options for low-income consumers and nonprofit organizations to buy refurbished devices through computer refurbishers and national organizations. At the local level, corporations and device refurbishers are also good resources for donated devices that meet user needs.

Strategies and Programs

Example programs and resources:

• Programs that refurbish and distribute computers or other devices
• Programs that provide subsidies for devices for low-income individuals and families
• School districts that offer devices for all students
• Locations such as libraries that have computers or other devices available for use by the public

Resources

• Computer Reach: Based in Pittsburgh, Computer Reach supports nonprofit organizations and government agencies that seek assistance distributing devices to their service communities.
• Human I-T: Human I-T assists organizations and individuals interested in acquiring refurbished devices at low cost. Human I-T also distributes 4G LTE wireless services through Wi-Fi hotspots.​
• ICfL’s Grant Opportunities: The ICfL provides various grant opportunities to libraries, some of which can be used to purchase computers and other internet-enabled devices.
• Idaho Statewide Contracts: The Idaho Division of Purchasing provides statewide contracts that libraries can use to purchase computers and other internet-enabled devices at contracted amounts.
• PCs for People: PCs for People is a computer refurbisher with a national network of partners and affiliates who work to provide communities with low-cost internet and affordable devices. PCs for People’s pricing model works in three tiers, which they refer to as Good, Better, and Best.
• TechSoup’s Refurbished Computers: TechSoup has partnered with computer refurbishers to provide computers, tablets, and accessories at affordable costs to libraries and nonprofits.

Creating a localized plan for your community is essential to bridging the digital access gap. The elements of this workbook should help guide community groups in developing a plan. Setting goals and gathering interested community partners provide a foundation for your plan. Collecting data on broadband access in your local area is foundational to addressing these issues. Beyond broadband, digital access also requires a focus on digital skills programming, guiding users via trained staff, and providing internet-enabled devices that meet the user’s needs. In the resources section of this workbook, you will find data on broadband access. The data is focused on internet availability by county, broadband subscription by age, and availability of computing devices. You also find information on tribal connectivity and Lifeline providers. The Latah County Broadband Coalition has kindly provided documents they use in coalition planning. These can be accessed from the Google Drive link at the end of the workbook.

Table 1: Idaho Internet Availability by County

Source: Broadband Now

Table 2: Idaho Broadband Internet Subscription by Age

Source: United States Census Bureau

Table 3: Computing Devices, Smartphone Only, or No Computer

Source: United States Census Bureau

Table 4: Connectivity of Native Communities

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Table 5: Internet Service Providers Offering Lifeline

Latah County Broadband Coalition

The Latah County Broadband Coalition has provided some example documentation that other digital access groups may find helpful.

At the link, you’ll find the following:

• Overview of the coalition, background, and goals
• Email request to anchor institutions to join the coalition
• Pledge to join the coalition
• Cost estimates and action items for coalition work
• Local resources matrix
• PowerPoint presentation to accompany pledge requests