Computers and the Internet, including high speed connectivity, are essential in today’s digital society. Without this access, people face major hurdles in conducting business, completing school assignments, searching for a job, securing government services, or even communicating on a day-to-day basis. Those on the wrong side of this digital divide are being left further and further behind.

While there have been numerous efforts at the local level to address this problem, the newly-formed National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) is among the first organizations to address the issue nationally.

Modeled after efforts in Kansas City to bridge the digital divide through the Kansas City Digital Inclusion Coalition, the NDIA plans “to be a unified voice for local technology training, home broadband access, and public broadband access programs” and join in the federal policy discussion to increase broadband availability in the U.S.

The Kansas City Public Library has been a leader in local efforts to bridge the digital divide and will bring this experience to the NDIA through the Library’s Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner, who serves on the NDIA’s Founding Council.

For more information on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s goals and how you can help, please visit their website.

The NDIA Founding Council is:

Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner, Kansas City Public Library
Amina Fazlullah, Benton Foundation
John Windhausen, SHLB Coalition
Kami Griffiths, Community Technology Network
Luke Swarthout, New York City Public Library
Bill Callahan, Connect Your Community
Nicol Turner-Lee, Multicultural Media & Telecom Council
Amy Sample Ward, NTEN
Angela Siefer, NDIA Director