ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

What We’re Learning: Public access to the Internet brings different benefits to different populations.

Since the foundation’s inception, one of our priorities has been helping public libraries provide people with free, public access to computers and the Internet. We believe that these tools can help individuals improve their lives and whole societies grow.

Our Global Libraries program helps countries install new computers connected to the Internet in their libraries, and it trains librarians to help users get the most out of technology. The program started with projects in Chile and Mexico, and now it is extending to new countries, particularly countries in Eastern Europe that are making the transition out of poverty. In 2007, projects were active in Botswana, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Ukraine.

As we have worked with more countries in more regions, we have learned how important it is to tailor projects so that they serve countries’ particular needs. In Mexico, for example, the population is very young, and the country has focused on using libraries for educational purposes. Some schools teach classes in public libraries because they don’t have the necessary facilities.

In Eastern Europe, e-government is increasingly popular. In Latvia, public libraries are meeting this demand by piloting an e-signature that allows people to fill out government forms online.

As we continue to refine our strategies based on the lessons we learn in the field, we are paying particular attention to the question of impact assessment. How do we measure the impact that Internet access is having on people’s day-to-day lives?

In the first countries we worked with, we tended to measure success by the number of computers installed, the number of libraries connected to the Internet, and the number of people with access. But those numbers tell only part of the story. They don’t tell us how the information is improving people’s lives.

So this year, we started working with a research organization to help us figure out how to conduct better impact studies. We aim to collect hard evidence on the social and economic benefits of access to information and technology.

This research is testing our own assumptions, and we’re confident that, whatever the results, it will help us make better grants while helping our partners convey how important access to computers and the Internet is.