DML2015 Ignite Talk - Andrew Rasiej
0"If they did not already exist and were proposed today libraries would be banned. Luckily they do exist and have a mission to disseminate information and knowledge to as many people as possible for essentially no cost to the public.
As the world has become more digital, the discussions around libraries has been mostly around the digitization of their collections and giving people access to the Internet in their branches.
But what if Libraries were to think more broadly about the opportunities offered by new and emerging networks and were engaged directly in the effort to deliver broadband access to those who otherwise afford it?
As it becomes more possible to leverage LTE and Wifi networks, and as new emerging technologies make it possible for the cost of broadband service to drop, libraries can and should become and be thought of as ISP's and offer 24/7 access to not only their collections but to all the world's information.
Those fighting for the open, public, and non commercial Internet have a major ally in libraries and the open Internet is a major ally for libraries to re-imagine their mission in the digital age."