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ICfL reports gains in library broadband and laptop lending but flags IT budget and refresh concerns
Summary
The ICfL’s Digital Inclusion at Your Library survey showed increases in high-speed internet and laptop lending; staff warned about a decline in libraries with dedicated IT budgets and inadequate hardware refresh cycles and said the Tech Refresh program will address those gaps.
E-Services Program Supervisor William Lamb presented results from the ICfL’s Digital Inclusion at Your Library survey, reporting increases in the number of libraries offering high-speed internet and lending laptops for patrons to use at home, as well as greater use of IdahoDigitalSkills.org and digital-literacy resources.
Lamb cautioned, however, that fewer libraries now have dedicated IT budgets and many lack a hardware refresh cycle. He described the ICfL Tech Refresh program as an educational response to encourage library leaders to budget for IT and to plan hardware renewals. Deputy State Librarian Dylan Baker also emphasized the role of incoming federal digital access funding in creating incentives and opportunities for libraries statewide.
