News

November 13, 2015

On November 12th, 2015, Samantha Becker and Melody Clark presented an overview of the U.S. Impact Study and TASCHA for University of Washington students.

May 27, 2015

On Tuesday, June 9th, 2015, GlobalWA will host a panel of social entrepreneurs in a discussion about new products, tools, and ideas for global development. The conversation will challenge participants to think about the role of technology in creating a more equitable, healthy, and prosperous world. TASCHA Director Chris Coward will moderate the panel, which includes Ali Arjomand (Director of Global Good), Beth Kolko (CEO of Shift Labs), and Laura McLaughlin (Director of Global Health at Mountain Safety Research). A reception will follow the panel discussion. More about the event on GlobalWA’s website.

January 19, 2015

TASCHA and fellow iSchool research group US Impact Study have joined together to sponsor a team for the National Readathon Day. We’ve pledged to read with librarians, librarians-to-be, and book lovers of all types from the University of Washington’s iSchool, and beyond. We invite you to participate with us!

August 29, 2014

This summer TASCHA, along with the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, hosted 25 of Myanmar’s leaders from government, civil society, political parties, ethnic communities, libraries, and the media. The fellows took part in a 5-week professional development program focused on information strategies for societies in transition. These distinguished individuals and the UW-Myanmar project team invite you to join them for a lunch reception where you can learn about their proposed projects and the plans for a Myanmar Information Laboratory.

August 13, 2014

This summer TASCHA, along with the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, is pleased to be hosting 25 of Myanmar’s leaders from government, civil society, political parties, ethnic communities, libraries, and the media. The fellows are taking part in a 5-week professional development program about information strategies for societies in transition. Please join us for a panel discussion and reception with the fellows of the UW-Myanmar Leadership Program to learn about Myanmar on Thursday, August 21st, 5-8pm, at the UW Club.

July 31, 2014

Early on in the digital divide conversation, myriad donors and governments invested in telecentres — public spaces where people could access computers and learn about the internet. Fast forward to today, where billions have personal internet in their pocket and use Facebook daily, and there is a real question — do we still need public access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the age of the mobile phone?
A recent IREXtech Deep Dive discussion sponsored by IREX’s Center for Collaborative Technology and co-sponsored by the University of Washington’s Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA), brought together a group of leading public access technology experts and development practitioners to debate this question and envision various public access futures. Highlights of the discussion follow.

June 9, 2014

In this informal get together, 2013 Library Journal Mover & Shaker Lauren Britton will lead a discussion on the concepts, theory, and ideology behind the maker movement, and examine if the public library creates a unique platform for community and civic engagement, through making. Lauren is a visiting researcher working with TASCHA this summer (in Seattle just this one week) to advance research on innovation spaces. Students interested in this topic and the possibility of contributing to this next academic year are especially encouraged to attend.

November 5, 2013

The use of ICTs, such as mobile phones, text messages, and various applications, increases with every emergency situation and disaster we see. The organization Libraries Without Borders (Bibliothèques Sans Frontières) recently held an international symposium, The Urgency of Reading, which brought together experts from all over the world to discuss innovations and good practices in providing access to information, ICTs, and culture in emergency humanitarian situations. Among participants from the United Nations, UNESCO, and various humanitarian foundations, TASCHA’s Maria Garrido was invited to discuss her research on the role of public access ICT venues, such as libraries and telecenters, in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake and tsunami in Chile. Maria presented the main findings of this research, as well as the recommendations based on the findings. Maria focused particularly on the importance of the physical space libraries provide in the aftermath of disasters.

September 25, 2013

TASCHA Director Chris Coward has been invited to present at the 5th Annual European Congress on E-Inclusion (ECEI13) on October 3, 2013. This year’s event, “Building an Inclusive Digital Europe,” will bring together over 100 stakeholders and thought leaders from the public policy, private, not-for-profit, and community sectors in Brussels. Chris will draw on TASCHA’s research to participate on a panel presenting evidence on the role of intermediaries, particularly public libraries, in digital inclusion, skills development, and opportunities for socio-economic empowerment and employability. Chris will present findings from TASCHA’s Global Impact Study of Public Access ICTs and the U.S. IMPACT Study’s Opportunity for All report.

March 11, 2013

This Thursday, March 14, UK newspaper, The Guardian, will be hosting a live chat as part of their Global Development Professionals Network. From 1pm-3pm GMT, participants are invited to ask questions about libraries as drivers of development, among other topics. The chat will include all types of people who work with libraries in development: from the librarians themselves, to the community organizers who work with the libraries, to the government officials who support them. The chat will be informal, and will take place in the comments thread of an introductory blog.