Libraries exist as important community anchor institutions (CAIs), defined by the FCC “as schools, libraries, hospitals and other medical providers, public safety entities, institutions of higher education, and community support organizations that facilitate greater use of broadband by vulnerable populations, including low-income, the unemployed, and the aged” (FCC, 2011, p. 38). TV Whitespace (TVWS)-enabled cognitive radios can help libraries propagate robust, (backhaul) internet connections to new community spaces with the goal of keeping citizens connected in everyday and crisis situations. To leverage TVWS successfully, however, libraries, researchers, and information technology professionals must understand the availability of frequency spectrum in their area to know whether TVWS is an appropriate technology for implementation in their community. This presentation will share equity-focused analyses of corporate and public datasets that can help us understand the potential impact of TVWS networking technology to support digital equity among America’s rural and underserved communities.
Dr. Kristen Radsliff Rebmann (pronouns: she/her/hers) joined SJSU’s School of Information as a professor in 2007 after completing a Ph.D. in Communication from University of California, San Diego. Her current research involves the deployment and study of emerging information technologies supportive of digital inclusion and resiliency. Kristen’s work also addresses challenges in learning design to promote excellence in distance education and justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. She brings perspectives associated with being a native Californian with a multi-ethnic background (Mexican and Euro American).
