Florida State University’s Information Institute  received a Collaborative Planning Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to fund research of broadband planning and education strategies with public libraries and other organizations in rural northwest Florida.

The award amount is $49,990 with a matching amount of $11,070 and begins May 2014.

Broadband adoption and access to the Internet are viewed as key to creating economic development opportunities in rural America, especially in rural northwest Florida.

Researchers from the Information Institute, which is housed in Florida State’s School of Information, will collaborate with leaders from Opportunity Florida, the Panhandle Library Access Network, and community organizations in rural northwest Florida on a six-month planning project to identify strategies to promote education, instruction, and broadband planning and use throughout the region, and to create opportunities for local economic development.

“This award continues the Institute’s rural broadband research that has already been in process,” Charles R. McClure, Director of the Information Institute and a Francis Eppes professor in Information Studies, said. “The new award will provide strategies to promote economic development in northwest Florida, information technology use, broadband education, and assist the Institute leverage other initiatives.”

The overall goal of this planning project is to determine how best to educate rural librarians and others in order to maximize the benefits of broadband adoption in rural northwest Florida by addressing the following questions:

• What broadband topics are essential for additional education?
• Who should be involved in the education and planning processes?
• Which venues are most appropriate and effective for the training with consideration on prior Information Institute research?

The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development.

Additional information is available from Dr. McClure at the Information Institute.