Fiber-Fed Libraries Can Serve as Agent of Digital Recovery

Extending fiber-optic Internet service to public libraries would help increase the demand for super-high-speed Internet at home, broadband experts said Thursday. Speaking at a forum at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Don Means, the co-founder and principal of Digital Village Associates, outlined his proposal to extend high-speed connectivity to all 16,500 libraries in the country. Bringing fiber to the libraries, besides being the quickest, cheapest way to provide next generation broadband to next generation libraries, is also a good idea because it gives people experience with fiber-speed Internet, Means said. Further, by building fiber links, communities can help increase demand for fiber by demonstrating its benefits, and help provide incentives to become an "anchor tenant" for other community institutions that would benefit from fiber links. Means, a consultant from Sausalito, Calif., first began offered fiber to the library in 2000. Rob Atkinson, president of ITIF, said that the debate over implementing the broadband stimulus has been too narrowly focused on unserved and underserved areas. Serving libraries with high-speed connectivity can provide a benefit even to otherwise "served" areas of the country.