Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Digital Literacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sunnyvale library outlines digital‑literacy programs, warns of digital divide and AI risks
Summary
Library technology staff presented definitions, services and local data on digital literacy and the digital divide, described programs for adults and children, and fielded trustee questions about digital cards, hotspots and AI. No formal board action was taken.
Amanda Dela Cruz, a librarian in Technology Services at the Sunnyvale Public Library, presented the library’s digital‑literacy work at the Board of Library Trustees meeting on April 7, 2025, reviewing definitions, local data on technology access, library services and programs aimed at adults and children.
Dela Cruz opened by reading UNESCO’s definition, and said, “digital literacy is the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate, and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.” She outlined components the library teaches: finding information, evaluating it and communicating it, and noted digital‑age topics such as generative AI, hallucinations and deepfakes.
The presentation used U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2019–2023 five‑year estimates) figures to show local gaps in access: 3.2% of Sunnyvale households rely on a smartphone as their only computing device; 0.7% report no computer; 5.4% have only cellular Internet access; and 1.7% report no Internet service. Dela Cruz said the library’s computers, Wi‑Fi, loanable Chromebooks and hotspots, and one‑on‑one tech help are tools to address those gaps.
Trustees questioned the library’s geographic coverage and services. One trustee said the presentation’s two‑mile radius around the library “sometimes is a little bit, maybe too much” for patrons without cars and suggested comparing a one‑mile map. Trustees also raised teens’ needs and whether the library offers programs tailored to that age group; Dela Cruz and other staff described coding clubs, Launchpad devices for children, 3‑D printing and a weekly volunteer tech help program called “Get Connected.”
Trustees and staff discussed generative AI. Dela Cruz explained terms and cautioned about “hallucinations,” saying they can produce confidently stated but incorrect facts. She said library instruction focuses on teaching patrons to check sources and evaluate information. A trustee noted that outside funding reductions could increase demand for hotspots: “Now with the elimination of the Institute for Museum and Library Services and all of that LSTA money… you’re gonna see more and more libraries… discontinuing their hotspots,” which will lengthen waiting lists for Sunnyvale’s hotspots.
Dela Cruz said public‑use computers are configured to wipe user data between sessions and that the library does not generally police patrons’ device use; staff will provide guidance if a patron asks for help evaluating content produced by AI tools.
The board did not vote on any item related to digital literacy at the meeting. Staff said the library will continue to promote resources, partner with the Sunnyvale School District and adapt programming as technology and community needs change.
Looking ahead, trustees asked for follow‑up information on coverage maps at different radii, hotspot wait times and additional teen outreach options.
