National Tribal Broadband Summit

I am honored to participate today in the National Tribal Broadband Summit hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior. On behalf of our team, I am presenting an overview of our participatory action research project, titled “Improving Digital Inclusion and Broadband Infrastructure in Native Communities” funded by a grant from the U.S Institute of Museum and Library Services (award #LG-250043-OLS-21).

Today, I am joining my colleague, Carson Block and our session, titled “Measurements and Tools: The Ways in Which IMLS Supports Innovations for Tribal Libraries and Librarians” is being moderated by James Neal, Senior Library Program Officer at IMLS.

I’ve uploaded a copy of my presentation slides, which can be downloaded here.

Improving Digital Inclusion and Broadband Infrastructure in Native Communities

IMLS logo

I am incredibly honored and excited to announce that our Community Informatics Lab at Simmons University has received a two-year grant (award #LG-250043-OLS-21) from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to work with the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums.

Here is the description of the project that is available on the IMLS website:

“Simmons University, together with the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums, will examine how a participatory community informatics approach, guided by Indigenous ways of knowing about technology and an affirmation of tribal sovereignty, can support the digital inclusion and broadband infrastructure needs and aspirations of tribal libraries. The research team will work with tribal libraries to co-design the following: an update to the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums’ 2014 report, ‘Digital Inclusion in Native Communities: The Role of Tribal Libraries’; a Digital Inclusion Lab ‘how-to’ guide for Tribal libraries; and a final report with findings from the research. The project also will gather broadband measurement data to inform federal information policies aimed at improving digital inclusion and broadband infrastructure in Tribal libraries.”

Follow updates about the project on our CI Lab website.