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Colin Rhinesmith

Associate Professor of Information Sciences, iSchool at Illinois

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Infrastructure

Investing in the Human Infrastructure of Broadband

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Colin Rhinesmith

I’m excited to announce that our collaborative final report, co-authored with Dr. Revati Prasad (Benton Institute for Broadband & Society) along with significant contributions from Dr. Caroline Stratton (National Digital inclusion Alliance) and Larra Clark (American Library Association) on the Human Infrastructure of Broadband is out today! The report, titled “From the Ground Up: investing…

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Community Informatics and AI

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Colin Rhinesmith

(Lego Mesh Wireless Network at the 2011 Allied Media Conference photo by Colin Rhinesmith) [Editorial re-posted from The Journal of Community Informatics] In yesterday’s Op-Ed, titled “For all the hype in 2023, we still don’t know what AI’s long-term impact will be” written by Open University Professor John Naughton and published in The Guardian, Naughton…

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Joining The Quello Center at Michigan State University

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Colin Rhinesmith

I’m thrilled to announce that I am joining The Quello Center at Michigan State University as a Research Fellow. I have been a huge fan of The Quello Center’s work for many years, and I’ve also had the opportunity to work closely with several members of The Quello Center community. I look forward to supporting…

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New Article in Information Technology and Libraries

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Colin Rhinesmith

My colleagues, Chris Ritzo, Jie Jiang, and I have a new article, titled “Measuring Library Broadband Networks to Address Knowledge Gaps and Data Caps” that was just published in the journal, Information Technology and Libraries. The journal is part of the American Library Association’s Core: Leadership, Infrastructures, Futures division. Here is the abstract for the paper…

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TPRC49 Presentation on MLBN Research

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Colin Rhinesmith

Chris Ritzo (M-Lab) and I presented our paper, titled “Measuring Library Broadband Networks to Address Knowledge Gaps and Data Caps” to the attendees at the 49th Annual Research Conference on Communications, Information, and Internet Policy, which was virtual again this year. The paper presents findings from our U.S Institute of Museum and Library Services funded research…

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CBSN Interview on Affordable Internet Access and Biden’s Infrastructure Plan

Posted on April 8, 2021 by Colin Rhinesmith

This evening, I joined CBS News political contributor and BluePrint Strategy founder Antjuan Seawright to talk with CBSN’s Lana Zak about the necessity of affordable internet access and President Biden’s infrastructure plan. For more on the “Homework Gap,” I would recommend my colleague, John Horrigan’s excellent work in the recent Alliance for Excellent Education report, “Students…

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Broadband Measurement System for Public Libraries Launched

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Colin Rhinesmith

After two and a half years, I am incredibly excited to announce that we have successfully launched our broadband measurement system with and for public libraries across the U.S.! Thanks to a grant (award #LG-71-18-0110-18) from the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services, and in partnership with Measurement Lab (M-Lab) and Internet2, our Measuring…

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Research Cited in CSR Report

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Colin Rhinesmith

The Congressional Research Service is a department within the Library of Congress that has been providing timely research to the U.S. Congress that is “objective, authoritative and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature,” since 1914. I am honored to share the news that my research on Digital Inclusion and Meaningful Broadband Adoption published by…

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MLBN Explainer Video

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Colin Rhinesmith

Here is a fantastic video, produced by Carson and Jessikha Block, that provides an overview of our Measuring Library Broadband Networks (MLBN) project. It’s a wonderful description of our research, which is funded by a two-year grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (award #LG-71-18-0110-18). to learn more about our research, please…

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Social Informatics Spring 2019

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Colin Rhinesmith

I’m looking forward to teaching Social Informatics again this semester at Simmons SLIS. I have added readings from Safiya Noble, Virginia Eubanks, and Sasha Constanza-Chock and other scholars to feature additional critical theoretical perspectives to the course. Here is the link to the syllabus for this semester. COURSE SUMMARY “Social Informatics” refers to the body of research…

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I'm an associate professor and director of the Digital Equity Action Research (DEAR) Lab in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My bio is here.
New Book! Coming June 2026
Blue water in estuary surrounded by greenery and a flock of white birds seen from above.
Invited Book Talks
  • February 18, 2026 - Quello Center, Michigan State University

Recent Posts

  • Libraries in a Democratic Ecosystem
  • Book Blurbs for Digital Equity Ecosystems
  • Invited Book Talk at MSU Quello Center
  • Mobile Media & Communication Article Now Open Access
  • Book Listed in Spring UC Press Catalog

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About Me

Dr. Colin Rhinesmith (he/they) is Associate Professor and Director of the Digital Equity Action Research (DEAR) Lab in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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