School of Library & Information Studies doctoral students Lauren Mandel and Nicole Alemanne are presenting a research paper, Rural Anchor Institution Broadband Connectivity: Enablers and Barriers to Adoption, at the upcoming iSchools iConference in Toronto, February 7–10, 2012.

The paper presents findings from two research projects that the students are currently engaged in at the Information Institute of the FSU College of Communication & Information; it is co-authored by SLIS Francis Eppes Professor and Information Institute director, Charles McClure.

The first findings are from broadband needs assessments that the Institute is conducting at anchor institutions in rural areas of northern and central Florida. The second project presents a model for community-based broadband planning that will be piloted during an extension of the Florida Rural Broadband Alliance, LLC, in spring and summer of 2012.

More information on these projects is available at the North Florida Broadband Authority project website and the Florida Rural Broadband Alliance, LLC, project website.