No. WP-98-04

Introduction

This report describes the findings of a research project that assessed the current state of state-funded community networking and telecomputing in Indiana between August and November 1997. Using multiple data collection methods, including a content analysis of community network (CN) web sites, site visits to a sample of eight CNs, and a survey of CN Board members, information was collected about 24 of the 28 state funded CNs in Indiana (four sites were not online at the time of data collection in fall 1997).

One main objective of this research was to provide Access Indiana (AI) and the Indiana Department of Education with a detailed description of the current state of state-funded CNs. A second objective was to aid ICNA's planning process for the future. This research supports ICNA掇 mission, which is to "facilitate the establishment, enhancement and cooperation of community telecomputing networks across Indiana" (ICNA, 1997a). It critically examined he range of uses of resources and support provided by AI to state-funded CNs, the structure and content of their web sites, and the public education and public library components of community networking. This research also explored some core design principles and services that have been most useful in the development of these CNs. The authors hope that the findings of this research will encourage an efficiency of effort so that network developers will not have to reinvent the wheel.

The report is divided into six sections. Following this introduction, section 2 presents the findings of the research in great detail. Section 3 contains recommendations and a set of best practices for CNs and section 4 describes the methodology used in the research. Section 5 describes the background of the researchers and section 6 contains a budget report. There are three appendices that contain the instruments used in data collection and a list of participating CNs.

1.1 Background

What is a community network? According to ICNA (1997b), a CN is is a web site that is:

A common gateway to information about the community served.

Representative of the entire community served.

Supported and administered by a board, panel, or committee of recognized community leaders (e.g. officials of local public schools, public libraries, government, higher education, business and/or service organizations).

Economically self-supporting, with good prospects for its long-term maintenance and upkeep.

Accessible via local dial-in to all residents of the community served.

In compliance with ICNA standards

According to Beamish (1995) if, "by definition, a community network is a reflection of the community, then all members of the community must be able to participate in the technology and the system." This concern with equitable access distinguishes the CN from commercial ISPs, which do not have as their main concern providing free space or opportunities for public communication and interaction. Access to the CN may be limited by the cost of connectivity, language barriers, and physical disabilities among community members. There may also be a lack of training in the basic use of computers, and a lack of understanding about how networked computers can be used effectively to motivate community action. CNs can be the agents for positive social change in the community. This is evident in the mission statements of many CNs, which set goals such as positive social change, an improved sense of community, increased political participation, enhanced local economic development, improved educational achievement, increased computer knowledge, and equitable access for underserved portions of the community (Schuler, 1996a).

What then, is the current state of community networking in Indiana?

In a 1997 press release, Indiana Rural Development Council (IRDC) Director John Reimke announced that the IRCD, through its Telecommunications Task Force, had additional funding available for the establishment of CNs in Indiana and said that "this funding support is one of Indiana's best kept secrets and we need to wake up rural Indiana to the possibilities...We are talking about a whole new level of infrastructure that is going to be essential for future community growth and development..." (IRDC, 1997a). This announcement marked the latest stage in the State's involvement in community networking, which had begun several years ago.

The AI program has as one of its goals the development of "electronic community networks that build and enrich community life" (Access Indiana, 1997a). In 1995, AI put out an RFP for "Community Network Start Up Grants" (Access Indiana, 1995). In all, AI has distributed more than $1.4 million to 28 Indiana CNs and ICNA. Approximately $900,000 was initially granted in 1996 to the first 19 CNs, with the awards ranging from $30,000 to $150,000. The remainder was committed to ICNA and nine additional CNs in 1997 (IRDC, 1997b). As a condition of receiving these grants, CNs had to be members of ICNA, which held its first meeting in February 1996, taking as its main charge the task of assisting in the development of CNs. One strong emphasis of the AI program has been for CNs to become self-sustaining over time. According to the ICNA (1997a),

The mission of ICNA is to facilitate the establishment, enhancement and cooperation of community telecomputing networks across Indiana. Goals established to accomplish this mission include:

Provide resources and support to emerging networks
Develop cooperative strategies for existing community networks
Educate potential users and content providers to the value of
community networking

1.2 Need for research

Now that most of these CNs have had time to establish themselves in their regions, there is a need to gather data about their operations. These data are important for at least two reasons. First, there is a need to set benchmarks for performance, so that CNs, ICNA, and AI can have a common understanding of how the networks are progressing; second, these data can provide the basis for the development of a model that can be used by new networks.

The research was motivated by four questions:

1. How have the AI community networking grants been used in the development of CNs?
2. How are these CNs organized and managed? What types of management structures and processes are in place?

2a What types of challenges have network organizers faced and how have they been resolved?
2b. What are these networks doing to move toward economic self-sufficiency?

3. What is the range of content, organizational schemes, and navigational strategies used in these web sites?

3a. Who is creating and maintaining this content?

4. In what ways are these networks integrated into their communities?

4a What types of interactions and relationships have developed between CNs and K-12 schools and public libraries
4b. How are these relationships affecting public education and public libraries?
4c. Who is using these networks? How often and for what purposes?

• A "snapshot" of the current state of state-funded CNs in Indiana, focusing on the evaluation of the utility of the existing content;
• A model for the design, organization, management, and marketing of CNs that new CNs can use;
• An understanding of the public education and public library components of community networking;
• A set of "best practices" that could be used by CNs to improve their abilities to achieve their goals and objectives and provide better service to their publics; and
• A portable methodology for the evaluation of CNs that can be used in other settings.

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