Libraries and the Digital Divide for People with Disabilities

According to the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation, “The term ‘digital divide’ refers to the gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard to both their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to their use of the Internet for a wide variety of activities” (OECD, 2006). This divide can be traced to factors across areas of income, education, household size, gender, race, language, and location (OECD, 2006). In a world increasingly dependent on the internet, the digital divide presents a threat to many groups of people that may lead to increased marginalization and exclusion.

People with disabilities are often left behind due to the digital divide. This is especially distressing due to how valuable the internet can be especially for many of these people. Internet communities can be an important source of support for people dealing with similar conditions and struggles, and reliable online sources can be a good way to get information about health and living with disabilities (Vincente and Lopez, p. 49). This is especially distressing considering that the amount of people living with disabilities is expected to rise as the baby boomer generation ages; many conditions, like vision loss and mobility issues are tied to aging (Mates, 2012, p. 9).

The population is trending toward more older adults, who are at higher risk of disability

The reasons for the digital divide often come down to a mixture of socioeconomic, educational, and emotional factors. In a study by María Rosalía Vicente and Ana Jesús Lopez (2010), they note that people with disabilities are often economically challenged due to lack of opportunities for education and work (p.50). Computers, internet access, and additional assistive technology devices cost money. As many digital sources have not been optimized for use by people with disabilities, this presents a barrier to entry that may discourage potential users. According to Vincente and Lopez, these technical barriers cause many people with disabilities to show less interest in online resources than others. While economic factors play a part for many people, even those who can afford digital and assistive technology are just as likely to avoid the internet as those who cannot (Vincente and Lopez, p. 59).

Libraries are a logical source for addressing the barriers in access to digital information technology for people with disabilities. Libraries provide computers, internet access, and informational programming to the public for free. In fact, libraries are both morally obligated and legally required to provide these services: the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Accessibility Guidelines require that public services and programming are accessible to people with disabilities, and the American Library Association has taken a stance of promoting inclusion for all through library services (Mates, 2012, pp. 7-8). The ALA website has a LibGuides page with many resources devoted to disability laws, service procedures, and other ways of promoting equal access.

So what are libraries doing to combat the digital divide and how can they best approach this issue specifically for patrons with disabilities? Digital access and literacy programming, especially targeted toward groups that are less experienced and involved with the internet, would be a good starting point. Some libraries, like the Seattle Public Library, have created WiFi lending programs so that low-income patrons can check out hotspots to use temporarily at home (Webber, 2019). 

Another example of a technology lending program from the Queens Public Library

If libraries can lend WiFi hardware, it would make sense to me that they also might be able to have assistive technology tools they could lend to meet their community needs. As there is intersectionality between people with disabilities and other marginalized groups, libraries must also commit to racial and social equity to fully break down barriers to access and programming (Webber, 2019). As with other disability related services, I can see the importance of community involvement here to make sure that programming is tailored to people with disabilities’s needs and to encourage participation. While I understand that this would be hard for libraries dealing with limited budgets and staff hours, it is extremely necessary for libraries to become involved in bridging the digital divide and empower people with disabilities.

References

American Library Association. (2019, January 17). LibGuides: Library Service to Persons with Disabilities: Home. Retrieved April 22, 

     2020, from https://libguides.ala.org/libservice-disability

Leins, C. (2018, April 26). Wi-Fi Hot Spots Are Getting the Homeless Back on Their Feet. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from 

     https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2018-04-26/internet-access-proving-to-be-invaluable-at-homeless-camps

Mates, B. T., & Booth, C. (2012). Information Power to All Patrons. Library Technology Reports, 48(7), 7–13.

OECD Statistics Directorate. (2006, January 4). Digital Divide. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from 

     https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=4719

Queens Library Mobile HotSpots [Video file]. (2015, October 22). Retrieved April 22, 2020, from https://youtu.be/1a5lerKjxLc

US Census. (2018, March 13). An Aging Nation: Projected Number of Children and Older Adults [Digital image]. Retrieved April 22, 
     2020, from https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2018/comm/historic-first.html

Vicente, M., & López, A. (2010). A Multidimensional Analysis of the Disability Digital Divide: Some Evidence for Internet Use. 

     Information Society, 26(1), 48–64. https://doi-org.ezproxy.palomar.edu/10.1080/01615440903423245

Webber, S. C. (2019, March 28). The Library's Role in Bridging the Digital Divide. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from 

     https://www.urbanlibraries.org/blog/the-librarys-role-in-bridging-the-digital-divide