Closing the Digital Divide

(The Irish Times)

We live in a growing digital world where society is absorbed in modern technology. The majority of the public can access a variety of resources with just a touch, swipe, or voice command but what about those left behind in the ever expanding modern world? Newspapers have been replaced with apps while face to face job interviews have been swapped out with an electronic form you fill out on a computer or smartphone.

While this has made life more convenient for the most part there are nearly 25 million households who don't even have internet. Now let's say that half of those people don't even know how to turn on a computer. This makes even the most menial of tasks such as filling out an online job application or writing a resume an arduous endeavor. 

"A study by the Census Bureau found that 21 percent of households report no Internet access, at home or elsewhere." 

Luckily, libraries are supporting those who aren't "tech savvy" through access of computers and internet. Libraries are doing their part by teaching users the basic knowledge of computers, but they alone can not do it all. By supplying schools with higher grants, school libraries can do more to prepare their students for a technical world. Perhaps Community Colleges can open their libraries to the public, which will allow more access areas.
In an age where technology surrounds us it should not be so difficult to gain access to the internet, but for those who do not have access, they can rely on libraries to always be there for them.


CITED
Barker, Stephan. (2015 May 1). Libraries help close the digital divide. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/libraries-help-close-the-digital-divide/2015/05/01/bd6d6e84-edef-11e4-8abc-d6aa3bad79dd_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.af0f66b596cb