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Colin Rhinesmith

Associate Professor of Information Sciences, iSchool at Illinois

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Public Libraries

Mobile Media & Communication Article Now Open Access

Posted on January 14, 2026January 19, 2026 by Colin Rhinesmith

In 2023, my article titled “‘It’s one of the most important things we carry for us’: How mobile hotspots support people experiencing homelessness” was published in a special issue of Mobile Media & Communication. The article featured findings from my study of the Boston Public Library’s hotspot lending program, which is still continuing today. I’m thrilled…

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“The Ability to Pay for Broadband” Now Open Access

Posted on June 18, 2025June 18, 2025 by Colin Rhinesmith

I am thrilled to announce that our 2019 paper, titled “The Ability to Pay for Broadband” (Rhinesmith, Reisdorf, & Bishop) is now open open access in Communication Research and Practice. As I described in a previous post after the article was published, “In our recent paper, published in a special issue of Communications Research and…

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New Article in Public Library Quarterly

Posted on January 23, 2025February 2, 2025 by Colin Rhinesmith

My new article, titled “Public Libraries, Digital Equity Coalitions, and the Public Good” was published this week in Public Library Quarterly. The article features findings from a 2024 study of U.S. public libraries. The goal was to gain a deeper understanding of their role in digital equity coalitions, as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration…

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Special Issue on Homelessness and Mobile Media Published

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Colin Rhinesmith

My article, titled “‘It’s one of the most important things we carry for us”: How mobile hotspots support people experiencing homelessness” has been included in the new Special Issue on Homelessness and Mobile Media just published in volume 12, issue 2 of Mobile Media & Communication. The article, first published last November, presents findings from…

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New Article in Mobile Media & Communication

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Colin Rhinesmith

I am thrilled to announce that my new article, titled “‘It’s one of the most important things we carry for us’: How mobile hotspots support people experiencing homelessness” was just published in the journal, Mobile Media & Communication. It will be part of an upcoming special issue on homelessness and mobile media. MMC’s Social Media…

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FCC Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination Listening Session Comments

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Colin Rhinesmith

The Federal Communications Commission’s Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination held a public listening session at Medger Evers College in Brooklyn yesterday. As part of the event, the FCC invited several speakers from a diverse group of organizations representing communities impacted by digital discrimination to provide their comments that could be included in the public…

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Missing Pieces: How the FCC’s Broadband Map Misrepresents Public Libraries

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Colin Rhinesmith

Back in December, I responded to an open invitation from John Windhausen, Executive Director of the Schools, Health, & Libraries Broadband  (SHLB) Coalition, during the monthly SHLB Coalition member policy call, to take a closer look at how the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Broadband Map represents community anchor institutions (CAIs). I thought this would be a…

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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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New Issue of JoCI Published

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Colin Rhinesmith

The new issue (Vol 17) of The Journal of Community Informatics is now online! There are several excellent peer-reviewed articles, including the following: A study of community informatics and resilience in India during the COVID-19 pandemic; The role of public libraries in supporting digital inclusion in Sweden; and A comparative study of digital equity plans…

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TLA District 3 Keynote Presentation

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Colin Rhinesmith

It was wonderful to join the Texas Library Association’s District 3 virtual meeting today to present my research with Susan Kennedy on digital equity ecosystems published by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society in November 2020. Here is a link to my keynote presentation, which was titled “Sustaining Digital Equity Ecosystems in the New…

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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

  • 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
  • Elected to iSchools Board of Directors

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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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