October 20: The Gates Foundation Global Libraries Program

October 20: The Gates Foundation Global Libraries Program

TASCHA Talk: Melody Clark

October 20, 2010

TASCHA Research Coordinator Melody Clark (MLIS 2010) will discuss her experience as a graduate research assistant at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries program. In addition to talking about her personal experience, Melody will also provide an overview of the goals and priorities of the Global Libraries program, as well as some challenges they face working in developing countries. She will also introduce some interesting questions for discussion related to public libraries and technology use in developing countries, and how these questions could offer possibilities for future research. Possible questions for discussion include:

• Is it possible to use the same model of U.S. libraries or Western Europe in developing contexts? If not a Western public library model, then what will work? What programmatic models can increase information literacy and technology use in developing countries?
• How can public libraries, ICT4D programs, and the ICT industry as a whole work together to achieve maximum impact and reach in developing countries?
• How can public libraries in developing countries incorporate mobile technologies into their services?

TASCHA Talks are bi-weekly sessions to share, discuss, and advance new ideas around topics related to technology and social change. Learn more at tascha.uw.edu/taschatalks.