Supporting Broadband Measurement in Libraries

Libraries are critical access points for millions of Americans looking to get online. They were among the first public institutions to provide free internet access in the 1990s and have remained one of the few community places that provide digital literacy training, as well as public access to computers and the internet. But since the economic recession in the late 2000’s, public libraries have faced immense challenges sustaining free, quality access along with traditional library services. Cuts to public funding and increased pressure on library network infrastructure are the common challenges facing most public libraries, but are even more pressing in rural and tribal libraries.

Recognizing libraries’ vital role in the community and the critical infrastructure challenges that they face, OTI is partnering with Dr. Colin Rhinesmith at the Simmons School of Library & Information Science and Internet2’s Community Anchor Program, on a new 24-month research project, “Measuring Library Broadband Networks for the National Digital Platform (LG-71-18-0110-18),” under a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) FY2018 National Leadership Grants for Libraries program. The research will examine how advanced broadband measurement capabilities can support the infrastructure and services needed to respond to the digital demands of public library users across the U.S.

Public libraries play a critical role in connecting individuals and families, particularly in low- income and rural areas across the U.S., to the public access technology and digital literacy skills needed to successfully participate in our digital economy. But in this landscape of scarce resources, libraries often lack ongoing broadband measurement and assessment tools, and training materials to support the services they provide to patrons. Having access to broadband measurement tools, data, and training materials in public libraries can assist libraries in understanding the contours of the information society but also to learn how such data can inform practical and policy solutions to promote social and economic productivity across the United States.

Previous foundational studies including Public Libraries and the Internet and Public Library Funding and Technology Access, and the Digital Inclusion Survey have tracked the growth of internet connectivity in public libraries and helped to identify the ongoing broadband challenges and needs of the public library community nationwide, including the increasing digital expectations of their patrons. But there are currently no large scale efforts to collect automated, longitudinal measurement data on broadband speeds and quality of service issues at a local, granular level inside public libraries over time, including when buildings are closed yet wireless connectivity often remains available.

This isn’t a challenge that is unique to libraries. Over the past few years, we’ve developed better broadband measurement tools for communities all over the world, working with the city government of Seattle and civil society groups in Venezuela and Myanmar. In 2015 with support from the Knight Foundation, we collaborated with the City of Seattle, WA to build Piecewise, a prototype broadband mapping application that includes a survey and uses Measurement Lab’s (M-Lab) internet performance speed test, called NDT. (M-Lab is the largest open source internet measurement effort in the world, and OTI is a partner in the consortium that runs the platform). Our work in Seattle led to similar initiatives in Clearwater County, ID; Stevens County, WA; and more recently with the NGO IPYS Venezuela. We also supported a similar public-private partnership with the city of Louisville, KY and PowerUp Labs.

In 2016-2017 with support from Aphorism Foundation, we looked specifically at the internet access issues that schools face, and designed a collaborative research project with New America’s Education Policy program and Alexandria, VA City Public Schools (ACPS). The research sought to examine how increasing demand for broadband infrastructure in schools affects instruction, by both interviewing classroom teachers and administrators and using M-Lab tools to measure connection quality longitudinally. The result was a prototype system to automate measurement, which has since been updated to address many of the lessons that we learned in Alexandria.

It is clear that there is a strong interest in openly available tools that enable institutions and individual consumers to regularly assess the quality of their internet tools.That’s why we’re thrilled that this project will soon be underway with the support of IMLS. Over the next two years, the project team will use participatory research methods to collaboratively design, implement, and evaluate a broadband measurement platform and training manual for public libraries and their communities, and will leverage M-Lab’s deep roots in the academic internet measurement community to select relevant measurement tests and apply analysis techniques used by those researchers. We’re looking forward to continuing this work in partnership with a growing network of public institutions and communities to build open source broadband measurement tools and data. If you want to learn more or get involved, please reach out.