Carson Block

Ltr 57 (8): Using the Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit Carson Block

The Toward Gigabits Libraries (TGL) Toolkit was a project originally funded by a Laura Bush grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Grant. The initial phase took place from 2015-2018 and included on-site visits to test the Toolkit in real-world applications. An important focus on the grant was that the Toolkit should work for all libraries, but would be especially helpful to rural, tribal, and underfunded libraries. A second grant was awarded in 2020, and while somewhat hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic situation, a new project is underway (called Gigabit Libraries and Beyond) to further refine the Toolkit to expand reach to tribal and rural libraries and explore how the Toolkit may be used in "tech desert" urban areas. The Report presents ideas for using the resources of the Toolkit and gives examples of how libraries have used it in troubleshooting or training.