Letter to Senate Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Abstract

On behalf of America’s 117,000 libraries and the communities they serve, the American Library Association writes in support of the broadband provisions included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Specifically, we are pleased to see the inclusion of the Digital Equity Act alongside the broadband deployment and affordability provisions. The desperate need to connect is constantly visible to our members, as the library is often the first and most reliable place individuals turn to for accessing both the internet, and the ongoing digital skills training needed to keep pace with emergent online technologies. We also applaud the legislation’s recognition that libraries and other anchor institutions require access to gigabit service. We urge you to move swiftly to pass this critical legislation, ensuring that libraries and other anchor institutions are guaranteed future-proof gigabit broadband service, and to keep members of the community connected with access to affordable broadband and the skills to use it.