Shhh! Libraries Are the Backbone of Nat'l Broadband Strategy

Despite billions spent so far on broadband, are communities fully prepared to make libraries the literal and virtual backbone of their broadband strategies? Rich and poor, young and old, rural and urban, most people use a library.

Don Means, Founder and CEO of Digital Village Assoc., is spearheading a national "Fiber to the Library" initiative. The goal is to bring 100 Mbps Internet connections to all of the 16,500 U.S. public libraries by 2012.

Don will discuss how this initiative started, why it makes sense and why policymakers at all levels should aggressively support the efforts of those involved. He'll also highlight how the Kansas City, KS Public Library is capitalizing on the Google gigabit network project to become the model for cities nationwide that are expected to join the initiative.