RE: Information Infrastructure

[Anne Pamperl <anne.pamperl@hhss.state.ne.us>]

Hi Michael - In parts of rural Nebraska & other large rural states, such as Texas, Montana, South Dakota, etc, people might have to drive many miles to find a computer that provides public access to the Internet. Small rural communities are being hit hard economically by the farm crisis, rural schools are being consolidated to keep costs down, and libraries are frequently run by volunteers (often a retired teacher) when communities can afford them (most rural communities are very proud of their libraries and schools so fight hard to keep them). Schools have Internet access; some libraries do while others do not. High speed access is hard to come by in most rural areas, and in some instances, the slower access is not always reliable (at least not as reliable as in larger cities).

The Internet is a great asset but needs to be used in conjunction with the traditional means of providing information to the public. It's tough to reach all the people and to get their attention.