Why Libraries are Vital to Closing the Digital Divide

Helen Milner OBE, @helenmilnerChief Executive, Tinder FoundationCILIP 7 January 2016

Why libraries are vital to closing the digital divide

Digital Inclusion

Equality of opportunity

We live in a divided world and digital exacerbates it

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1,713,727

A world where everyone

benefits from digital

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Local + Digital

5000 local UK partners, 25,000 volunteers

A big club with a shared vision

Optimised for mobile learning

www.learnmyway.com

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• Digital Tasks• Such as: sending an email; filling in a form;

shopping online• Digital Literacy

• Confident and able to do a number of tasks independently

• Digital Fluency• Confident to try whatever need to

do on the internet without help

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Myth BustingYoung People need support too - it’s not just

about old people

Smartphone and tablets are intuitive no evidence (yet) a tool for digital inclusion

Having access is importantHaving good access is important

Using the internet = digital inclusion

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Libraries: Universal Offers

Local Activity in Libraries• In England over a third of the population visits

their local library, rising to a half in poorer areas• Great demand for digital skills support from

Jobseekers• More people bringing own devices to libraries &

wanting to get connected.• Libraries engaging new audiences through

partnerships

Libraries doing Digital• Lancashire: digital skills / volunteers / Digi Champs /

Outreach• Gateshead: ‘e’ days / young people / schools / coding• Northumberland: rural / digital skills / volunteers / digital

map• Southampton: Macmillan / volunteers / content co-creation• Oldham: ESOL (English My Way) / Housing partners / Lifelong

learning• Leeds: Studio 12 / young people / BME community /

innovation

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Tinder Foundation: Libraries DI Programme

http://digitallibrarieshub.ning.com/

#digilibraries

What difference can you make?• Digital Outcomes: confident and independent

internet users; people are more motivated to be online and understand how they can personally benefit

• Economic Outcomes: able to manage money better & have more money; more employable; more entrepreneurial

• Health & Social Outcomes: healthier; less isolated; more connected to community; more able to participate; better informed; more confident

What can you do?• Use existing resources: Become a UK online

centre, explore Learn My Way, etc• Work with partners: local partner to come into the

Library to support users, or go out to partners to deliver

• Design around local needs: Hooks, audience groups. Health has broad appeal (Learn My Way)

• Talk to each other: Use the Ning to talk across sectors and memberships

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Digital Inclusion

Equality of opportunityand transforming people’s lives

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A better world for everyone

Hear their stories on YouTube: UK Online Centres Videos ChannelRoger

Thank You @helenmilner