A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond's Iron Triangle - Richmond Public Library, Lead Agency
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A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle A Publication of: Richmond Public Library, Lead Agency Richmond, California USA January 2014 This report is available for free online at www.bbk-richmond.org
Table of Contents Our Most Important Findings................................................................................ 1 Our Recommendations.......................................................................................... 2 Introduction............................................................................................................. 4 Findings: Access to Information Technology...................................................... 6 Findings: Digital Literacy in the BBK Zone.......................................................... 10 Programmatic Recommendations........................................................................ 16 Appendix A: Technology Survey.......................................................................... AppA:1 Appendix B: Focus Group Questions.................................................................. AppB:1 Appendix C: Guidelines for Interviewing Digital Literacy Service Providers... AppC:1 Appendix D: Inventory of Digital Resources....................................................... AppD:1 Appendix E: Lessons Learned by our Digital Literacy Working Group............ AppE:1 Appendix F: Best Practices for ICT Skills Development.................................... AppF:1
Our Most Important Findings
One in three residents does not have Percent of adults who have
access to the internet at home. The internet access at home
cost of internet service and limited digital
BBK Zone 67%
literacy are the primary barriers to home
San Francisco
internet access. Bay Area
80%
Two out of five residents do not own California 69%
a working computer. Residents are Source: BBK Technology Survey, PPIC’s Technology Survey 2013
increasingly using new devices to get
online, but mobile phone and tablet use
trails behind the rest of California. Digital Literacy in the BBK Zone
Residents who want internet access
Inexperienced users
outside the home have few options 15%
within the BBK Zone. Computer stations 35% Basic users
at the library are a valuable resource for
Richmond residents, but overstretched 50% Advanced users
space and staff capacity limit what
residents are able to do online.
An estimated half of BBK Zone
residents are regular computer and
internet users. However, few residents are
using the internet to access government
resources, find health information, or visit
school websites.
An estimated one in three residents
uses computers infrequently, or not at
all. These residents may not know how to
type, use email, open internet browsers, or
search for information online.
For more detailed survey findings see page 6.
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 1
Existing resources Our Recommendations
to support the • Establish Wi-Fi hotspots throughout
the BBK Zone to provide free,
development of digital high-speed internet access to all
literacy skills in the households.
BBK Zone are not • Plan Neighborhood Technology
Fairs where residents can service
meeting the learning their non-working computers, buy new
needs of all residents. devices at affordable rates, and learn
about new technologies.
• Work with elementary schools in
the BBK Zone to establish Public
Computer Centers that would be
open to members of the community
and staffed by trained tutors.
• Increase infrastructure and
personnel capacity at the
Richmond Public Library to better
support inexperienced computer
users and enable patrons to complete
more time-intensive tasks on library
computers.
• Improve efforts to build basic
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) skills among
inexperienced users by establishing
training sites within the BBK Zone.
• Host workshops at Public Computer
Centers in the BBK Zone to
familiarize residents with beneficial
online resources.
To read more about these recommendations see page 16.
Page Community Connections:
2 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle
Project Coordinators
Eyal Matalon, Data Analysis, Secondary Research, and Writing, Building Blocks for Kids Collaborative Staff
Nicky Avant, Needs Assessment Planning and Implementation, Building Blocks for Kids Collaborative Staff
The survey tool, primary findings and recommendations in this report were developed by members of the
Building Blocks for Kids Collaborative’s Digital Literacy Working Group:
Katy Curl, Library and Cultural Services Director, City of Richmond
Karen Roy, Librarian, Richmond Public Library
Sherry Drobner, Manager, Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP), City of Richmond
Karen Lincoln, Business Development and Client Relations Manager, ReliaTech
Ben Delaney, Social Enterprise, Leadership, and Marketing Consultant
Colyer Dupont, Community Volunteer, Internet Archives
Claudia Montoya, Family Partner, Youth Services Bureau, Building Blocks for Kids Collaborative Staff
Working to ensure that families living in the Iron Triangle have the 21st Century
Information and Communication Technology skills necessary to succeed.
Acknowledgements
The research and planning efforts that went into this publication were made possible by a generous grant
from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The BBK Collaborative’s Digital Literacy projects
have also been supported by the California Emerging Technology Fund and the U.S. Broadband
Technology Opportunities Program. We would like to thank the following individuals for their many
contributions to this work:
BBK Backbone Staff
Jennifer Balogh Rosemary Luque Zaira Sierra
Martha Barajas Jennifer B. Lyle Nekeila Turner
Melissa Lopez Lizbeth Hernandez
Joann Ford Zadia Saunders
Student Interns
Angela Ling Vanessa Guzman Brenda Godoy
UC Berkeley Whitney Ounniyom Alexis Gonzales
CORO Youth Fellows Richmond Public Library
Key Informant Interviews
Diana Rodriguez Lana Adlawan Lindsey Vien
Youth Policy Institute Oakland Public Library Hayward Public Library
For updates and further information, please contact:
Jennifer B. Lyle, Building Blocks for Kids Collaborative, Chief of Operations
info@bbk-richmond.org or call (510) 232-5812
Katy Curl, City of Richmond, Library and Cultural Services Director
katy_curl@ci.richmond.ca.us or call (510) 620-6555
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 3
Introduction
The “BBK Zone” is located in Central Richmond, California
The City of Richmond, on the eastern shore of
the San Francisco Bay, is a small urban center
home to just over 100,000 people. In 2005,
Building Blocks for Kids (BBK), a collaborative
of community based organizations and public
agencies, set out to address the challenges
facing families in the Iron Triangle
neighborhood of Central Richmond. The Iron
BBK Triangle continues to have some of the lowest
indicators of health, educational attainment,
Zone economic self-sufficiency, and safety in the city.
Language barriers, poor educational systems,
and lack of health care significantly threaten
the well-being of Iron Triangle families and
undermine the ability of children to be
successful in school and thrive. As a result of these challenges, BBK has designated the
Iron Triangle as the BBK Zone and set out to support the healthy development and
education of all children, and self-sufficiency of all families.
Digital Literacy and Access
As part of its multi-agency effort to support families living in Central Richmond,
the BBK Collaborative is committed to ensuring that families have the 21st Century
skills to succeed. We live in a time when access to information, academic success,
economic advancement, and participation in civic life increasingly require technological
competence. Information technologies are powerful and necessary tools for finding
information about jobs, communicating with schools and health professionals, and
staying connected to the broader world. However, even as more resources are made
available online, families in the BBK Zone are struggling to use the internet to address
their needs. Some families cannot afford easy access to computers and the internet,
while others lack the skills to use these technologies in meaningful ways. We know from
research that those who have limited English skills or low educational attainment are
less likely to perform useful tasks online, such as looking for work or communicating with
their children’s school1. These challenges show that the digital divide is not just about
who has internet access but is also about who has the digital literacies2 necessary to use
the internet as a tool for social, educational, and economic advancement.
Since 2009, the BBK Collaborative, spearheaded by member organizations Reliatech
and the Richmond Public Library (RPL), has worked to bring the benefits of digital
literacy to the BBK Zone. BBK’s Digital Literacy Collaborative Programs have focused on
bridging the digital divide among Iron Triangle parents, distributing over 900 refurbished
computers to families and providing digital literacy training to nearly 1000 parents.
1. PPIC. 2013. Californians and Information Technology. www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=1064
2. California’s ICT Digital Leadership Council defines digital literacy as “a lifelong learning process of capacity building for
using digital technology, communications tools, and/or networks in creating, accessing, analyzing, managing, integrating,
evaluating, and communicating information in order to function in a knowledge based economy and society.”
http://www.cio.ca.gov/Government/Publications/pdf/Digital%20LiteracyMaster_Final_July_2010.pdf
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4 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle
The Library’s Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP) has focused on encouraging
broadband use among low-income residents, introducing them to computer and
internet basics through their online Learner Web platform. While these efforts have
undoubtedly increased digital access, we still find low levels of digital literacy among
BBK Zone residents. Feedback from training participants indicates that our free and
easily accessible workshops have not been enough for parents to feel that they have
a strong grasp of ICT skills. Almost 70% of the 300 participants surveyed by the BBK
Collaborative evaluation team indicated that they needed additional digital literacy
training. To better understand the next steps to ensuring that families have what
they need to master key 21st Century ICT skills, the Digital Literacy Working Group
conducted an extensive needs assessment of digital literacy and access in the Iron
Triangle neighborhood.
Our Needs Assessment
In the summer of 2013, Digital Literacy
Working Group surveyed 469 Richmond 469 residents surveyed
residents about their technology needs.
70% had children
Our survey inquired whether residents
have ready access to computers and the 67% lived in Central Richmond
internet and assessed what residents
were able to do online. The majority of 28 participants in three focus
respondents lived in Central Richmond groups
(67%) and had children at home (70%). 7 English-speaking residents
More than half (51%) were between
the ages of 26 and 45. Thirty additional 9 Spanish-speaking residents
residents were surveyed about their
experience using computers at the 12 library staff
main library3. 23 service providers surveyed
The Working Group hosted three focus about computer labs and course
groups to better understand the most offerings in the city of Richmond.
common challenges residents encounter
in using digital technologies. Two focus
groups were conducted with residents: one for English speakers (7 participants) and
one for Spanish speakers (9 participants). The third focus group was conducted with
Library staff (12 participants) and examined computer use at the three Richmond
library branches4. The Working Group also surveyed 23 service providers to generate
a comprehensive inventory of computer labs and digital literacy courses in and around
the City of Richmond. Service providers were asked about their hours of operation,
number of computers, on-site personnel, course offerings, and any restrictions placed on
computer use or course enrollment5. Together, these research efforts help paint a picture
of current digital literacy needs in the BBK Zone6.
3. See Appendix A for the BBK Technology Survey.
4. See Appendix B for the focus group questions.
5. See Appendix C for the interview questions asked of service providers.
6. See Appendix E for an outline of lessons learned for future efforts to consider.
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 5
Findings: Access to Information Technology
If BBK Zone residents are to use ICT tools and skills in ways that will benefit them, their
children, and their community, they must have ready access to the internet, computers,
and other information technologies. Through our needs assessment, we are now
able to paint a picture of who has access to the internet at home, who owns and uses
computers and other devices, and what opportunities exist for accessing the information
technologies outside the home.
One in three BBK Zone residents does not have access to the
internet at home.
The BBK Zone has a significantly lower Percent of adults who have
rate of home internet access when internet access at home
compared to the San Francisco Bay
Area as a whole. Whereas 80% of BBK Zone 67%
Bay Area residents have an internet
San Francisco
connection at home, the same is true Bay Area
80%
for only 67% of BBK Zone residents.
California 69%
Statewide, 69% of Californians are not
connected to the internet at home7. Source: BBK Technology Survey, PPIC’s Technology Survey 2013
Many residents cannot afford internet access.
The BBK Zone has long grappled with extremely high unemployment and poverty rates.
Today more than one-third of residents are unemployed, and the percentage of residents
living in poverty is nearly twice as high as in Richmond overall and triple the rate for the
Bay Area. Many residents are barely able to make ends meet. Paying for internet service
would mean less money for food, rent, and other basic necessities. Some residents
said they used to have internet at home but had to discontinue service as monthly
rates went up. Others who wanted to initiate service said they were turned away by
high start-up costs. Some were reluctant to make the yearlong commitment required
by many providers and some said they couldn’t enroll because they did not have a
checking account the internet provider could bill. According to the Public Policy Institute
of California, households making less than $40,000 a year are far less likely to have a
home internet connection than their more affluent counterparts. For households in the
BBK Zone, where median household income is less than $34,000 a year, internet service
is simply too expensive.
Households experience residential barriers to starting internet service.
Only 38% of residents in the BBK Zone own their home and, statewide, renters are less
likely to sign-up for internet service8. Some renters are not able to install the necessary
wiring because their landlord prohibits them from making any changes to the property.
Others may be reluctant to get internet service because they don’t know where they’ll
live in a year’s time. Richmond has long had high rates of housing instability and
residential mobility9.
7. PPIC. 2013. Californians and Information Technology. www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=1064
8. PPIC. 2013. Californians and Information Technology. www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=1064
9. WCCUSD. 2013. Student Population Projections, Fall 2013 – Fall 2021.
http://www.wccusd.net/cms/lib03/CA01001466/Centricity/Domain/20/Davis%20Demographics%20Report%2012-13.pdf
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6 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron TriangleWithout a home internet connection, residents cannot take full advantage of
resources and information available online.
Focus group participants said that they were not able to do important tasks online without
an internet connection at home. Parents expressed frustration with not being able to
access their children’s grades or go on school websites. Many said that their children
were not able to complete assignments that required them to find information on the
web. Other participants said that the lack of internet access at home prevented them
from applying for jobs, paying bills online, or finding information about community and
government resources. According to PPIC, the majority of Californians feel that people
who do not have a home internet connection are at a disadvantage when it comes to
finding information about job skills (80%), getting health information (75%), or using
government services (74%). Moreover, residents noticed that neighbors who didn’t have
internet at home, particularly those who were older and homebound, were more isolated
from friends, family, and the wider community. “My friend’s mother retired recently,”
shared one resident during our focus group. “Getting online was great for her. She uses
it to talk to her cousins abroad, play games…she just loves it.”
Two out of five residents do not have a working
personal computer.
Our survey indicates that one in three
residents does not have a personal computer.
Several of those who did have a computer at
home told us that their computer doesn’t
work. Overall, two out of five residents in the
BBK Zone do not own a working computer.
These residents must rely on friends,
neighbors, their place of work, or public
computer labs to send emails, create and edit
documents, or do online research.
Many residents who owned computers complained that their computers were too slow
or infected with viruses. Nearly one in three (29%) said their computer was more than
three years old. These residents are likely using machines with slower processors,
older operating systems, and programs that are out-of-date. Protecting and maintaining
personal devices appears to be a significant challenge for families in the BBK Zone.
BBK Zone residents are increasingly using Percent of internet users in the
new devices to get online. But mobile BBK Zone going online using...
phone and tablet use trails behind the
rest of California. 76%
Survey respondents were asked which devices they used 54%
to access the internet in the past month. 76% of internet
users used a computer at home, at work, or at a public
computer lab. More than half (54%) said they used their 15%
mobile phone to go online. Statewide, 63% of internet
users access the internet on their mobile phone, a figure
that has been steadily increasing in the last few years. Computer Mobile Phone Tablet
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 7Lastly, 15% internet users in the BBK Zone access the internet on a tablet, about half the
proportion of those who use tablets statewide (32%).
Because computers, mobile phones, and tablets have
Percent of BBK Zone residents different user interfaces, different applications, and
who access the internet using… different levels of portability, each device has its own
merits and drawbacks as a tool for accessing the
Computer Mobile internet. Compared to mobile phones, computers enable
(76%) phone residents to better access full-featured sites and more
(54%) easily navigate between multiple tabs in a single browser.
They also enable residents to create and edit documents
and to save and store files on a storage drive. Laptop
Only
Only computers or netbooks can be easily portable but they
Both mobile require a cable or Wi-Fi connection in order to access
computer
(35%) phone
(46%)
(19%) the internet. By contrast, mobile phones can access the
internet through residents’ existing cell phone network,
though most providers charge extra for this service.
Nevertheless, residents viewed internet access through
their phone as an “add-on” to a device they were already
using, as opposed to a completely separate investment.
While residents are able to access the internet from any
location with cell phone service, their ability to perform certain tasks, such as writing
lengthy emails or creating and editing documents, is compromised.
Given the benefits and drawbacks of using each device to go online, residents are able
to perform the broadest range of tasks on the internet if they are able to use multiple
devices. However, our survey indicates that only one in three (35%) internet users use
both a mobile phone and a computer to access the internet. Nearly half (46%) only use a
computer and one in five (19%) only use a mobile phone.
Residents who want to access computers outside the home have
few options within the BBK Zone.
Approximately 2,000 adult residents in the BBK Zone do not have access to the internet
at home. These residents must rely on friends, neighbors, their workplace or public
computer labs go online. One in five residents (21%) said they use a computer at school,
a community center, or at the library. Our Digital Literacy Working Group was able to
identify 21 sites in the Greater Richmond Area that have computer labs. Of these, only
eight are accessible to the general public: the three library branches, the LEAP office, the
E. M. Downer YMCA, and three community centers. We were able to identify seven local
service providers have computer labs that their clients can use and six schools that allow
parents to use their computers with advance notice. Notably, there are only three sites in
the BBK Zone that have computer labs and only one (Nevin Community Center) is open
to the general public10.
10. A full list of computer labs in the Greater Richmond Area can be found in Appendix D.
Page Community Connections:
8 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron TriangleComputer Labs
in the Greater
Richmond Area
Restricted-Access
Open-Access
Schools (Parents) Nevin
Community
BBK Zone Center
LEAP
Richmond Library
Computer stations at the library are a valuable resource for
Richmond residents, but limited space and staff capacity limit
what residents are able to do online.
For residents who don’t have computer or internet access at home, these computer
labs in libraries and community centers are a valuable resource. In a focus group of
library staff, participants noted that there is always a steady stream of residents using
computers to look for jobs, find housing, or just browse online. Even residents who have
a computer at home said they often prefer to go to the library. One resident said “going
to the library is better for kids because the internet is blocked to a certain point.” Another
said that, while she has a computer at home, “it’s just nice to go places sometimes.” As
the library is open during the evening and over the weekend, it is a more convenient
choice for residents who work during the week.
Nevertheless, relying on public computer labs for access comes with its own set of
challenges. High demand at the main library branch requires that there be a one
hour time limit for computer use, which may not be enough time to fill out a housing
application or draft a résumé. Residents who use library computers often don’t know
how to save documents and store them in a place where
they can later retrieve it (i.e. email, DropBox, or USB drives).
A library staff person said that they “have several computer “We have several computer
users each day who reach the hour time limit and get logged users each day who reach
out of the system without saving their work.” Furthermore, the hour time limit and get
library staff felt that they didn’t have the time or knowledge logged out of the system
to help inexperienced users. “If they have a quick and easy
question,” one librarian shared, “we can help them out. But
without saving their work.
we can’t help them fill out an entire online form. We just Many people just don’t
don’t have that kind of time.” Staff felt that there should be know how to do that.”
designated individuals who were trained in computer literacy
instruction and could help struggling residents with their – Richmond Public Library Staff
information needs.
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 9Computer workstations at the main branch of the Richmond Public Library
Findings: Digital Literacy in the BBK Zone
Upon completing the survey, Digital Literacy Working Group examined the prevalence
of internet access at home, the frequency of internet use, and the types of tasks
respondents were able to perform online to estimate the prevalence of three distinct
levels of digital literacy in the BBK Zone. We adapt a framework advanced by Ferro
et al. to describe the needs and abilities of inexperienced users, basic users,
and advanced users11.
Levels of Digital Literacy in the BBK Zone
Inexperienced Users – those who rarely use computers or go online who
may require a lot of external help to start using information technologies.
Basic Users – those who use the internet and computers primarily for
search, email exchange, social networking, and entertainment but may
not know about other beneficial uses, such as banking, enrolling in public
benefits, or communicating with health professionals online.
Advanced Users – those who use the internet, computer, and other
information technologies daily and enjoy finding new ways use technology.
An estimated one half of BBK Zone residents use computers
and the internet regularly but may not be aware of the many
beneficial things they can do online.
Our Digital Literacy Working Group estimates that half of the residents in the BBK Zone
are Basic Users of information technology. These are residents who own a personal
computer, have access to the internet at home, and go online to search for information,
send emails, go on social networking sites, do homework, and play games or watch
videos. Sixty percent of surveyed residents said they use a computer at least 4-5 times
11. Ferro et al. 2011. “The role of IT literacy in defining digital divide policy needs.” Government Information Quarterly
28(1). www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740624X10000997
Page Community Connections:
10 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Trianglea week. This repeated use allows for the kind of self-learning
and exploration that builds confidence and ability over time. More than half of survey
Basic Users understood the benefits of computer use because respondents (52%) had taken a
they experienced it firsthand. “Oh, it’s great!” one resident
computer class.
shared during our focus group “you can look up recipes, go Two in three (67%) had
on Facebook, email your relatives back and forth if they’re internet access at home.
tech savvy like that.” Many parents agreed that computers,
at home and in the classroom, were helping their children 60% said they use a computer
learn and do well in school. Residents who had immigrated at least 4-5 times per week.
to the United States said that being online helped them keep
in touch with friends and family abroad. In addition to helping 43% said they use check their
us better understand the digital needs of residents, the focus email once a day.
group created a space for residents to share online resources.
One parent did not know that she could look at her daughter’s grades and attendance
online until another parent mentioned it to the group. Another parent learned that she
could set parental controls to prevent her child from visiting certain websites. These
interactions demonstrate the importance of having spaces where residents can
come together to talk about how they use technology and to learn from each other.
It is not surprising that even regular internet users were unaware of the many things
they could do online. A statewide survey of Californians found stark disparities across
income groups and education levels when it came to potentially beneficial internet uses.
Adults who had household incomes of less than $40,000 per year, for example, were
far less likely to use the internet to find medical information, manage their finances, or
access government resources. The study also found that parents with lower educational
attainment and or limited English skills were less likely to visit their child’s school website
or communicate with teachers through email12. In the BBK Zone, only 30% of parents
had ever sent or received an email from their child’s teacher, compared to 60% of
parents statewide. These findings reveal an opportunity to engage parents in discovering
new and exciting ways to use the internet.
Percent of Californians who use the internet to...
79% 78% 72%
68% 64% 60%
38% 38% 31%
Get health or medical Do any banking or Access government resources
information manage finances
Under $40,000 $40,000 - $80,000 $80,000 and higher
Source: PPIC's Californians and Information Technology Survey, 2013
Basic users could also benefit from opportunities to sharpen the skills they already use.
Our research suggests that many residents find it challenging to evaluate the information
they find online. Residents often felt overwhelmed by the volume of information available
on the web and didn’t always know how to separate fact from fiction. “Anyone can write
12. PPIC. 2013. Californians and Information Technology. www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=1064
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 11anything and put it online,” one resident observed. Another shared that she tried to find
an answer to a medical question she had, but found “five different websites that said five
different things”. Indeed, one in three survey respondents said that when they use search
engines, it takes them at least three tries to find what they’re looking for. They expressed
interest in learning basic guidelines for judging whether the information they find online is
accurate or up-to-date.
Finally, we find that many residents could benefit from exploring new devices for accessing
the World Wide Web. With the emergence of smart phones and tablets, more and more
Americans are using multiple devices to get online. In the BBK Zone, only one third of
internet users are using both a computer and a mobile phone to go online. While some
residents might prefer using one device or the other (19% only use a mobile phone, and
46% only use a computer), others may have never had the opportunity to explore the
benefits of each (see page 8). We feel that when residents are exposed to a wide range of
information technologies, they develop the readiness to adapt to the next generation
of innovation.
An estimated one third of BBK Zone residents use computers and
the internet infrequently, or not at all.
There is a significant segment of the
population for which computers and the One in four residents uses a
internet are not part of daily life. The computer only 1-3 times a week.
lack of a computer or internet access at 16% use a computer less than
home for one in three residents poses once a week.
a significant barrier to regular use (see
28% of residents do not
pages 6-7). Indeed one in four residents
use email
uses a computer only 1-3 times a week
and 16% of residents use a computer less 15% of residents have never used
than once a week. Because regular use search tools like Google or Yahoo.
and self-exploration are so critical to
building digital literacy, the absence of When asked what they would like
information technologies from people’s to learn about computers or the
lives has great implications for their internet, one third said “how to
ability to perform basic tasks in use it” or “everything”.
digital environments13.
Many BBK Zone residents have never learned how to type, open browsers, or look
for information online. One librarian observed that “some people come in [to use our
computers] and they don’t have a clue. They can’t log in or even use a mouse.” Another
librarian shared that patrons frequently ask her how to “get to Google”. Once they find the
search engine, she said, “they can’t distinguish between search results and sponsored
advertisements. They get frustrated that they can’t find what they’re looking for.” Indeed,
15% of our survey respondents said they have never used search tools like Google or
Yahoo. Residents in the BBK Zone are also far less likely to communicate online than other
Americans. 28% of survey respondents said they don’t have an email address compared to
only 8% of adults who don’t use email nationwide. Without an email address, residents are
not able to do things like apply for jobs or enroll in classes online. They are also far less
likely to learn about job opportunities, business promotions, or community events.
13. Vie, Stephanie. 2008. “Digital Divide 2.0: ‘Generation M’ and Online Social Networking Sites in the Composition Class-
room.” Computers and Composition 25 (1). www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8755461507000989
Page Community Connections:
12 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron TriangleLimited English skills are a significant barrier.
Gaps in computer literacy were especially apparent among residents with limited
English skills. Residents in the Spanish language focus group said that nearly all of the
information they might look for online was in English. Those who tried to visit the website
of their child’s school or find online job postings said they couldn’t understand any of the
content. One resident shared that she just clicks around in the hopes of finding words
or phrases she could understand. “You click something and it takes you somewhere
else,” she said, “but you don’t know if that’s where you’re supposed to be.” Enrolling in
programs online was especially difficult for residents with limited English skills. While
paper registration forms are often offered in multiple languages, the experience of many
residents was that online forms are primarily in English. These concerns are significant
considering the prevalence on non-English speakers in the BBK Zone—40% of parents
with school-aged children have limited English skills14. Research by the PEW Hispanic
Center has shown that
Latinos who are Spanish- Percent of US Latinos who use the internet
dominant (primarily English dominant 87%
speak in Spanish), are
significantly less likely to Bilingual 77%
use the internet than those
who are English-dominant Spanish dominant 35%
or bilingual .
15
Source: Pew Hispanic Center, 2009 Survey of Latinos
Residents want to learn.
Even those who felt overwhelmed by technology and lacked the skills to use computers
and the internet in meaningful ways recognized that they were at a disadvantage.
“Computers are taking over,” one resident said at a focus group. “People need them
for everything—applying for jobs, finding housing—anything.” Many shared how the
programs and services they rely on (e.g. healthcare, phone service, and government
benefits) now require them to create online accounts in order to enroll. They also saw
the value of the internet for finding information about local resources, keeping up on
current events, and communicating with friends and family. Many parents worried that
their limited digital literacy was getting in the way of their children knowing how to use
technology. One parent worried that if she doesn’t help her children learn computer skills
now, “as adults it will be difficult for them, like [it is] for us—not knowing how to find even
a simple piece of information.”
When we asked survey respondents what they wanted to learn about computers and the
internet, inexperienced users said they wanted to learn how to connect computers, type,
set-up an email account, find information on the internet, watch movies, and use social
networking sites like Facebook. Many were interested in taking a computer class—nearly
half (48%) had never done so. Participants in our focus group hoped that classes could
be offered close to where they live, have flexible hours, provide childcare, and be offered
in English and Spanish.
14. Citydata.com. www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Iron-Triangle-Richmond-CA.html
15. Pew Hispanic Center. 2010. The Latino Digital Divide. www.pewhispanic.org
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 13An estimated 15% of residents are advanced computer users who
enjoy finding new ways to use technology.
Despite these barriers to computer and
internet use, a not insignificant segment One in four residents uses a
of the population is advanced users computer several times a day.
of information technology. One in four
uses a computer several times a day. It 15% of residents access the
is likely that many frequent users have internet using a tablet.
office jobs and are on their computers for One in five residents has taken a
work. These residents are easily able to college-level computer class.
do online research, pay bills or manage
their finances, and are likely proficient When asked what they would like
in programs like Microsoft Excel and to learn about computers or the
PowerPoint. Several residents were internet, one in six residents
interested in developing specific skills said they would like to learn how
that could be useful professionally. When to program or design websites.
asked what they would like to learn about
computers or the internet, one in six said would like to learn how to program, design
websites, or fix computers. Within the BBK Zone, there appears to be an unmet demand
for professional training in the field of information and communication technologies.
Existing resources to support ICT skills development in the BBK
Zone are not meeting the learning needs of all residents
Our needs assessment demonstrates that residents in the BBK Zone exhibit a wide
range of abilities when it comes to using information technology in meaningful ways.
We must consider this range of abilities as we think about how to support each resident
to take their ICT skills to the next level. The one in three residents who rarely use
computers have a different set of needs than the 50% of residents who already have a
handle of computer basics. With this in mind, our Working Group set out to understand
how existing resources in and near the City of Richmond can support residents to meet
their varying learning needs. In the table on the next page, we describe the learning
needs of inexperienced users, basic users, and advanced users, estimate the number
of residents who fall under each digital literacy level, and articulate the extent to which
existing resources (i.e. course offerings through schools or service providers) meet each
group’s needs.
Digital Literacy in the BBK Zone
Inexperienced users
15%
35% Basic users
50% Advanced users
Page Community Connections:
14 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron TriangleDigital Estimated # of
Learning Needs Relevant Resources
Literacy Level Adult Residents†
Inexperienced • Connecting computer 2,005 Literacy for Every Adult Program+
hardware West Contra Costa Adult Education^+
Users (35% of BBK
• Typing Contra Costa College^
• Using email Zone)
Richmond Police Activities League*
• Opening internet browsers
• Using search engines Rubicon, Inc.*
• Creating and editing Richmond Works*
Microsoft Word documents Bay Area Rescue Mission*
Richmond Annex Senior Center*
Basic Users • MS Office (Excel, 2,863 Literacy for Every Adult Program
PowerPoint) (Applying for jobs)+
• Banking online
(50% of BBK
Richmond Public Library (Educational
• Apply for jobs online Zone)
resources)
• Enrolling in healthcare and Rubicon, Inc. (Applying for Jobs)*
other services
Richmond Works (Applying for Jobs)*
• Finding medical
information/ communicating Richmond PAL (Applying for Jobs,
with providers Finding educational resources)*
• Using PowerSchool WCCUSD Adult Ed. (MS Office)^
• Digital educational Contra Costa College (MS Office)^
resources for children
Advanced • Web Design 859 Contra Costa College^
• Programming WCCUSD Adult Ed^
Users (15% of BBK
• Careers in IT Stride Center^
Zone)
*Members Only, +Classes offered in Spanish, ^Registration Costs
† The BBK Zone has an estimated 5,727 adult residents (www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Iron-Triangle-Richmond-CA.html)
Eight service providers in the City of Richmond offer basic computer training. Of these,
only the Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP) is free and open to anyone. Rubicon,
Inc., Bay Area Rescue Mission, and three other centers offer free introductory classes to
their clients. Contra Costa College and West Contra Costa Adult Education’s introductory
computer courses are open to the general public but charge a small tuition fee. Only
LEAP and WCCUSD Adult Ed offer basic computer training in English and Spanish.
Residents who already know digital literacy basics have limited opportunities to expand
what they can do online. The Richmond Public Library makes learning games available
to parents and children, three service providers teach members how to apply for jobs
online. LEAP, Rubicon, Inc. and a few other service providers help residents look for
jobs online. We are not aware of any organizations that offer workshops on how to use
the internet to manage finances, use PowerSchool, or enroll in healthcare and other
services. More advanced computer users interested in programming, web design, or IT
skills can take courses and get certifications through Contra Costa College or the
Stride Center, but our survey indicated that many qualified residents were not aware of
these opportunities.
Our Working Group sees a compelling need to build upon existing digital literacy
resources. Notably, none of the eight service providers in the Greater Richmond Area
that offer ICT skills instruction are located in the BBK Zone. This means that residents,
many of whom rely on public transportation, must travel elsewhere to access training
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 15opportunities, or they may never hear about them in the first place. The lack of childcare
is another significant barrier for BBK Zone families to access digital literacy resources.
Parents with small children felt they couldn’t participate in classes if they did not have
someone to watch their children.
Moreover, most training
programs teach only basic
computer literacy skills
and do little to
demonstrate other
compelling uses for
information technology.
This means that residents
are less prepared to take
advantage of the myriad
resources that are
increasingly made
available online. But
residents are also eager to
learn and aspire to use
computers and the internet as a tool for social, educational, and economic advancement.
We believe that community institutions in the BBK Zone must offer a space for residents
to learn about 21st Century Technologies that can benefit themselves, their families, and
their community.
Programmatic Recommendations16
Establish Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the BBK Zone to provide free,
high-speed internet access to all households.
For the one in three BBK Zone residents without a home internet connection, the cost
of internet service is a significant barrier. Some internet providers offer low-cost internet
services to qualifying low-income households, but residents who try to enroll encounter
a cumbersome registration process with excessive documentation requirements and
confusing instructions. The City of Richmond should partner with community-based
organizations, businesses, and residential complexes to install high-powered antennas
that can broadcast a strong internet signal to the majority of homes in the BBK Zone. We
will apply lessons learned from similar efforts in Houston, TX; Riverside, CA;
and Hayward, CA.
Plan Neighborhood Technology Fairs where residents can service
their non-working computers, buy new devices at affordable
rates, and learn about new technologies.
If BBK Zone residents are to use information technology as a tool for social, educational,
and economic advancement, they must have access to modern devices. As long
as computer, tablet, and smart phone ownership trails behind the rest of California,
16. The following recommendations emerged out of an analysis of best practices for advancing digital literacy and access
in underserved neighborhoods. Please see Appendix F: Best Practices for ICT Skills Development.
Page Community Connections:
16 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangleresidents will not be able to take advantage of the beneficial programs and applications
these devices have to offer. Contra Costa County, in partnership with schools,
businesses, and community-based organizations, should plan Neighborhood Technology
Fairs to give residents an opportunity to explore up-and-coming digital technologies. At
a Digital Technology Expo hosted by Alameda County, residents were able to purchase
new devices at affordable rates and repair their nonworking with support from trained
technicians. In addition, the West County schools should work to increase device
ownership among low-income families by identifying resources that could support the
distribution of low-cost laptops and tablets to parents. For example, under Senate
Bill 493, a school district can designate a non-profit organization to purchase surplus
computers from state agencies, refurbish them, and make them available for
community use17.
Work with elementary schools in the BBK Zone to establish
Public Computer Centers that would be open to members of the
community and staffed by trained tutors.
There is a compelling need to establish more community spaces where residents
can access computers and the internet. Currently only one site within the BBK Zone,
the Nevin Community Center, has a computer lab that is open to the general public.
Meanwhile, computer labs at Peres and Lincoln Elementary Schools sit idle when not in
use by students. We propose to transform existing computer labs into vibrant community
assets. Hundreds of parents drop-off and pick-up their children at these schools every
week; opening up computer labs during school hours can encourage regular internet
use among parents who don’t have convenient access at home. Moreover, it can create
opportunities for parents to learn about useful online resources from trained tutors
and from each other. In Philadelphia, the public library has partnered with community
organizations to staff four open-access computer centers in underserved neighborhoods.
In Los Angeles, the Youth Policy Institute established public computer centers across 66
school sites.
Increase infrastructure and personnel capacity at the Richmond
Public Library to better support inexperienced computer users
and enable patrons to complete more time-intensive tasks on
library computers.
Computer stations at the library are a valuable resource for Richmond residents, but
overstretched space and staff capacity limit what residents are able to do online. The
Richmond Public Library is currently exploring ways to enable library patrons to request
an additional hour if they need more time to fill out job applications, send emails, or
work on schoolwork. Augmenting the number of computer workstations can help ensure
that computers remain available to anyone who wants to use them. The library will also
explore ways to support inexperienced computer users. The Oakland Public Library, for
example, designates several hours a day as “computer tutoring hours”, where residents
can get support from trained and designated staff. This would free up library staff’s time
to focus on reference questions, circulation, and other tasks.
17. http://legix.info/us-ca/measures;2011-12;sb0493/analysis@2011-06-20;committee
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle 17Improve efforts to build basic ICT skills among inexperienced
users by establishing training sites within the BBK Zone.
A number of service providers in the City of Richmond offer basic computer training to
residents but none of these sites are located within the BBK Zone. Moreover only two
providers (LEAP and West Contra Costa Adult Education) offer classes in both English
and Spanish. Richmond Public Library’s Literacy for Every Adult Program should partner
with community organizations to disseminate online modules to training sites within the
BBK Zone. Computer courses should follow best practices for increasing confidence
among inexperienced users and supporting English Language Learners. Efforts should
be made to ensure that all training sites offer childcare to participants.
Host workshops at school-based Public Computer Centers in the
BBK Zone to familiarize residents with beneficial online resources.
Residents who already know digital literacy basics have limited opportunities to expand
what they can do online. There is a compelling need to expand existing course offerings
to include education about useful online resources. The Richmond Public Library should
partner with schools in the BBK Zone to provide targeted trainings on a wide array of
computer applications and online tools. Workshop topics may include:
• MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint)
• Banking and managing finances
• Apply for jobs online
• Enrolling in healthcare and other services
• Communicating with friends and family abroad (Skype, Google Hangout)
• Finding medical information online
• Communicating with health providers
• Using PowerSchool
• Digital educational resources for children
• Protecting children online
Page Community Connections:
18 A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron TriangleAppendix A
Technology Survey
Community Connections: Page
A Road Map for Advancing Digital Literacy and Access in Richmond’s Iron Triangle AppA:1Technology Survey
This survey is part of a community needs assessment conducted by the Richmond Public Library, Building Blocks for Kids
Collaborative and the ReliaTech Neighborhood Technology Center. The survey attempts to find out if and/or how Central
Richmond parents of school-age children access the internet, and what type of support and training they might need to
create, manage and share information online. Our overall goals are to increase usage and access to computers and
technology; to increase communication between parents and schools; and finally, to support engaging experiences in
libraries (and other community spaces) that prepare people to be full participants in their local community as well as their
global society.
1. If you have children at home, what school(s) do they attend? ___________________________________
2. Do you live in Central Richmond ¨
Y
¨
N
¨
don’t
know
3. Do you have an internet connection at home? ¨
Y
¨
N
4. Do you have a computer at home? ¨
Y
¨
N
Does
it
work?
¨
Y
¨
N
How
old
is
it?
¨
Less
than
1
year
¨
1-‐3
years
¨
3-‐6
years
¨
6-‐10
years
¨
10+
¨ don’t know
5. During the past month, where did you use the internet? (Check all that apply).
¨
Home
computer
¨
Mobile
phone
¨
Work
computer
¨
iPad
/
Tablet
¨
School
¨
Library
¨
Community
Center
¨
Other:
___________________________
6. What do you typically use internet for?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Do you have an email address? ¨
Y
¨
N
How
often
do
you
check
email?
Choose:
¨
Very
often
(2-‐3
times
a
day)
¨
Often
(once
a
day)
¨
Regularly
(2-‐3
times
a
week)
¨
Seldom
(1-‐3
times
a
month)
¨
Never
8. Have you ever received or sent an email to your child's school or teacher?
¨
Y
¨
N
9. Do you know how to use the Library’s online catalog to find books?
¨
Y
¨
N
¨
How
easy
is
it
to
use?
Choose:
¨
It
is
easy
to
use
¨
it
is
not
easy
but
I
can
figure
it
out
¨
I
often
need
help
10. Have you used internet search tools like Google, Bing, Yahoo? ¨
Y
¨
N
How
many
typed
searches
does
it
usually
take
to
find
what
you're
looking
for
(how
may
tries)?
Choose:
¨
1
¨
2
¨
3
¨
4+
¨
I
can't
ever
find
things.
11. How do you find help when you have issues or problems using the computer?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Have you ever taken a computer training class? ¨
Y
¨
N
If
so,
where?
____________________________
What
would
you
like
to
learn
next
about
computers
and/or
internet?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. What is your age?
¨
16
to
25
¨
26
to
45
¨
46
to
55
¨
56
to
65
¨
65
or
older
Page Community Connections:
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