ALA Issues Brief Targets Bandwidth

A new issues brief from the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Research & Statistics (ORS), “Internet Connectivity in U.S. Public Libraries,” points not only to the importance of Internet access in public libraries and the diverse challenges faced by libraries of various types but also highlights the importance of federal regulators understanding—and better measuring—libraries' bandwidth needs.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) “generally defines high-speed Internet connectivity as 200kbps (kilobits per second) in either direction (upload or download),” but, as the brief points out, that's based on residential use.

Also, the FCC defines high-speed connectivity as either the upload or download speed; however, an interactive Web 2.0 environment requires high-speed bidirectional access.

While the regulatory framework focuses on commercial or residential entities, there should be “a separate market and pricing structure for libraries,” the brief states.

“The percent of libraries reporting they have sufficient bandwidth speeds to meet patron needs at all times has declined about 12 percent over the last three years, even as these speeds have climbed incrementally,” said ALA ORS director Denise Davis.