Summer-Fall 2001

by anonymous

"Social Capital and Cyberpower in the African American Community: A Case Study of a Community Technology Center in the Dual City" by Abdul Alkalimat and Kate Williams, is available online with a photo gallery and a page for comments and discussion.

The first report from the Digital Divide Research and Community Development Project of the Telecommunications and Information Policy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin is an examination of the role of public libraries and community technology centers in providing public Internet access to minority communities in East Austin.

"Disconnected, Disadvantaged and Disenfranchised" is a detailed national survey of 1900 respondents, published by the Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union, that provides the basis for their position that "We should direct tax dollars or subsidies to the people who cannot afford technology, not to corporations."

John McNutt at the Boston College School of Social Work maintains the definitive web page on cyberadvocacy, the use of high technology in efforts to change public policy at the community, state, national or international level.

"Can Technology Enhance Democracy? The Doubters' Answer" by Philip Howard, Northwestern Dept of Sociology (p-howard@nwu.edu, was originally published in the American Political Science Association's Fall 2000 Information Technology and Politics Newsletter and includes reviews of: Anthony Wilhelm, Democracy in a Digital Age: Challenges to Political Life in Cyberspace (New York, NY: Routledge, 2000). ), 272 pages, $24.99; Elaine Kamarck and Joseph Nye, Democracy.com? Governance in a Networked World (New York: Hollis Publishing, 1999). 225 pages, $17.95; and Richard Davis, The Web of Politics: The Internet's Impact on the American Political System (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1999). 224 pages, $18.95.

The American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) Final Report on Stage One of its study, "Public Library Internet Services: Impacts on the Digital Divide." "We expect that the study's findings and recommendations will be critical tools used to inform policy and decision makers about library technology funding and related programs such as E-rate, Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), and the Gates Foundation awards.

Technology Grant News, published 4 times a year, for nonprofits, social service providers, towns & cities and schools and universities. Grant announcements by tech funders, government, and trade associations for technology and non-technology related initiatives for nonprofits, social service providers, towns & cities and schools & universities; by subscription.

The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute's Digital Steppingstones (DSS) project explores the role of advanced technologies in low-income and minority communities, their effectiveness in enhancing K-12 learning, preparing community members for the workforce, and filling communities' information needs.

BDPA Journal Online is published four times a year by the National Black Data Processing Associates. Each issue provides coverage of the impact of IT on the Black community. Current issue, 2001 edition #1, includes book excerpt from Black Futurists in The Information Age, Chapter 3, "Black Scientific Legacy," exploring the world class scientific and technological contributions made by various Black scientists, inventors and engineers throughout American history, and a book review by William Murrell of Blacks and Technology: The Shift of Economic Power to Blacks in the 21st Century, written by Raymond Chukwu.

"Building a Statewide Policy Voice for Technology Access and Training: The Computers In Our Future Experience" was written as part of CIOF's lessons learned dissemination effort.

"Surveying the Digital Future" by the UCLA Center for Communications is a survey of current Internet use and attitudes about the social and political impact of the Internet. Coverage includes: Internet Access and Use, Who is Using the Internet, Views about the Internet, Barriers to Using the Internet, Email, Social and Psychological Impact, Privacy, Views about Online Contacts and Friendships, Internet at Work, and Shopping on the Internet.

ConnectNet.org - New Internet directory of more than 20,000 technology centers and libraries with free internet access, searchable by zip code, a multi-organization partner project tied to the ConnectNet/Conectado Bilingual Public Service Announcement Campaign. For those without Internet access, call toll free 866.583.1234.

The Young Americans and the Digital Future Campaign's Toolkit For Action is designed to help policy makers, business and civic leaders address the digital divide and other digital age issues affecting our nation's youth. Its focus is on decision-making within states and local communities. The Children's Partnership has posted this new online resource with state-by-state data and information tools addressing the digital age including statistics, policy models, case examples and links to web resources, with special attention to the needs of low-income and other underserved young people.