Study: Many tribal libraries lack broadband

At least two-fifths of Native American libraries don’t have broadband Internet access, according to a new study, though the actual number could be as high as 89 percent.

Additionally, just 42 percent of libraries surveyed for the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums’ annual study provided technology training, compared to 90 percent of all public libraries. Just 34 percent of the tribal libraries had a website. The findings add fuel to the fear of a “digital divide” that prevents people on Native American reservations from benefiting from new technology.