Summer-Fall 2001

As late as December of 1999, residents wishing to get much needed access to computers or the internet, could visit any of the 35 community or neighborhood technology centers (CTC’s) throughout the Seattle area. With few exceptions, they would likely find the lights out, the doors locked, and the computers sitting idle. Or, if they were able to gain entry, they would likely find only one or two, if any, of the available computers and/or printers functioning.

Here we had thousands of dollars worth of space and technology that had been generously donated to worthy causes, but which was not being utilized, making obvious the critical point that bridging the digital divide takes more than just throwing equipment and software at the problem.

A number of conscientious and motivated people began to look into the situation to determine what issues needed to be resolved in order to get these labs up and running to full capacity as initially intended.

Several key needs were identified, including: 1) timely and capable tech support; 2) trained staff for managing the labs; 3) contemporary and consistent systems, networking, and internet connectivity; 4) technology training for lab patrons as well as paid staff and volunteers; and 5) effectual marketing, advertising, and outreach.

There were also the issues of a lack of community networking and involvement, and the false perception of technology as an end, rather than as a tool. CTC's needed to be viewed more than just a source for technological access, but also as a means for individual and community welfare and development.

It was also determined that, because the problem of nonfunctional or dysfunctional CTC’s in Seattle was so widespread, it would be wise to target several representative and strategically significant labs (primarily in low-income, minority, and disabled communities where the need was the greatest). The object was to make sure these labs were brought up to full utilization and sustainability prior to applying them as a model to other existing labs as well as future CTC’s.

Consequently, the City of Seattle Technology Department, headed by David Keyes, in conjunction with the Seattle Public Library, represented by Daria Cal, various public and corporate technology organizations (most notably SCN, headed by Steve and Melissa Guest), students and faculty at several universities and colleges, and select community centers, formed an alliance (see SCTA) and partnerships (see: SCN Partners), designed and implemented a scalable and comprehensive program, and obtained funding from the Federal Department of Education.

This program included the hiring of full and part-time administrators and staff (initially 1 project coordinator, 4 lab coordinators, and 1 technician), technology matching funds for select projects, and the donation of state-of-the-art computers, software, and internet connectivity—which, for the most part, took care of needs 1 – 3 (listed above) for these targeted CTC’s.

Provision was also made to secure several VISTA’s (Volunteer In Service To America) to assist with satisfying needs 2, 4, and 5, as well as implementation and sustainability of the program. They included:

A. Angel Lamar, who worked with the City of Seattle Technology Department. She was responsible for recruiting volunteers intended to assist the part-time lab coordinators for the targeted labs, the roll-out of a needs-awareness and community out-reach project, and liaison between various partners in the project.

B. Delia Burke, Katie Yeo, Tricia Satre, and Jay Sadler, who have, or are now working with Digital Promise (formerly Neighborhood Network Consortium). They have been responsible for consulting with low-income housing projects on how to start and maintain respective computer labs, as well as providing recycled computer equipment, software, classes, and limited tech support, for existing labs.

C. Matt Crichton, who is working with RealChange, an organization that helps the homeless. He has been responsible for coordinating and maintaining the RealChange computer lab, assisting the organization with limited tech support, and facilitating the training needs of the patrons. He has also been active in organizing collaborations between the VISTA’s in Seattle working on the digital divide, and has assisted with Webmaster duties for Seattle Community Network.

D. Wade Englund, who is working with Seattle Community Network. He has been responsible for providing technology training for the local libraries and the targeted CTC's, technology resource development and listings, CTC and digital divide research and analysis, and community networking. (See: SCN TechEd and IP Services)

James Werle, a graduate student at the University of Washington, and Louis Fox of the University of Washington Office of Educational Partnership, were recently instrumental in negotiating service-learning contracts with the targeted CTC's. This provided 20 college students with part-time jobs in which to apply the skills they have been learning, while at the same time permitting them to gain work experience for future employment. This was also a cost-effective way to help staff the labs with knowledgeable personnel—beyond the lab coordinators hired by the SCTA.

The good news is that, as of this writing, there are now seven sustainable, fully functional, staffed, and supported CTC's with high-speed internet connections, and several other CTC's advancing rapidly in the program's pipeline. Most of these labs are fast closing in on full utilization, and they are gradually putting into place a comprehensive educational package complete with basic technology learning paths, career services, and literacy programs. Thousands of minority, low-income, disabled, and the elderly now have access to computers and the internet that they otherwise would not have.

In part, this program has helped to recently make Seattle one of the worlds most wired cities--if not the most wired city. Approximately 88% of Seattle residents have access to computers at various locations (compared with 51% nationwide), and 72% have internet access (compared with 41% nationwide). (See: Seattle Digital Divide Statistics)

So, where do we go from here? Even with the rosy statistical picture for Seattle, there are still approximately 150,000 residents who do not have access to technology. And while the quantitative disparity between those with access and those without has drastically declined, the qualitative disparity has increased.

To bridge this last divide, plans are already in the works to increase the number of targeted CTC's as well as expand the technology education program to the branch libraries. Additional partnerships are being developed with local, state, and national organization for the purpose of resource sharing, collaboration, marketing, community building and empowerment, etc. Hopefully, all of Seattle will soon be technologically awake and thriving.