Networking the Land: Rural America in the Information Age

A Vibrant and Changing Countryside

Rural Americans are no strangers to technological change. From the days of turnpikes, canals, and railroads to the development of modern trucking and shipping, advances in transportation have repeatedly remade the countryside by connecting it to ever-larger national and international markets.

Steady advances in farming methods and equipment have spurred some of the most impressive gains in productivity any industry has ever achieved.

Television and motion pictures have enabled rural populations to participate in the Nation’s political and cultural life. And the automobile and interstate highways have given them new personal freedom while profoundly shaping how they live, work, and play.

Now we are in the midst of a revolution in information technology. Is rural America playing a role in this new period of invention, too? This report offers 10 case studies that begin to answer that question.

It describes how people in isolated regions are finding ways to connect to new information networks, both for their social and their economic advancement; how they are using modern information tools to manage their resources — natural and human — more effectively; how telemedicine is improving the quality and timeliness of their health care; how educators are refining distance learning methods to bring better educational opportunities to people who cannot attend traditional classes on college campuses; and how people are using new technologies to make the arts, which we sometimes assume are the exclusive province of cities, more available in out-of-the-way places.

The projects described here, all supported by grants from the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP), paint a picture of a rural America that is vibrant and changing, yet eager to preserve its heritage. But these are not stories for rural Americans alone.

The creative ideas, hard work, and experiences of the many people who have participated in these projects contain lessons that should prove useful to anyone interested in using information technologies to help communities seize control of their own futures and enrich the lives of their people.

I. Making the Connection

In the span of less than a decade, the Internet has become ubiquitous; many Americans now take it for granted. Not only are we using regular telephone lines in record numbers for email and web surfing, but high-speed connections are becoming increasingly commonplace in workplaces, schools, libraries and even in a growing number of homes. As a result, it is easy to forget that in some places, basic connectivity — the ability to get online at tolerable cost — still represents a substantial barrier to joining the information society.

Two projects supported by TOP demonstrate how isolated communities are surmounting numerous barriers and getting online. In the sprawling Navajo Nation, where many families lack even basic telephone service, local tribal governments are using satellite connections to connect with the outside world. Though the system is still new, people already are beginning to explore new opportunities for improved lifestyles, increased efficiency, economic advancement, and stronger self-government.

Meanwhile, in the rural town of Mayville, North Dakota, a state university is working with local leaders to establish a homegrown technology industry — and thereby hoping to halt a long economic decline produced by the continuing exodus of people from farms. Their experience illustrates how a complex mix of infrastructure, education, and community support help determine the success of modern technology ventures.

For the full report: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top/publicationmedia/rural2001/networking_the_land_with_illustrations.htm

For information about how your organization can apply for TOPS grants: http://www.matr.net/article-9924.html