ALIA-APLA submission in response to the Department of Communications Regional Connectivity Program discussion paper, September 2019

This joint submission from the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian Public Library Alliance (APLA) discusses the role of public libraries in the digital space, enhancing people’s online experiences, helping people connect to this new virtual world, and providing a safety net for those who are in danger of being left behind, particularly in terms of the ability to access government information.
 
ALIA and APLA support equality of access to the benefits arising from our increasingly digital society and view public libraries as having an important role in bridging the gap for those who don’t have the skills, knowledge, money, devices or high speed connection to be regular and confident users of the internet.