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Knowledge River: Spanning the Digital Divide

Hispanics and Native Americans are statistically among the poorest and least educated people in the United States. They need services and support of all kinds to improve their standard of living. Knowing how to find and use information resources and technologies can significantly increase their opportunities for general well being, education, employment and participation in community life.

Knowledge River, at the University of Arizona, is a center for the study of information resources and technology issues related to Native Americans and Hispanics. Envisioned as a national effort, it
is located in an area with deep historical roots in both of these communities. We seek partners from the private and public sectors to help create a more equal footing for Hispanics and American
Indians in the Information Age.

The Digital Divide, for Hispanics and Native Americans, is not limited to a gap in home computer ownership. Social inequities leave many persons from these populations without the personal or community information, communication and education resources they need to fully engage in the rich new information environment.

Knowledge River's mission is simple: nothing less than a major concerted effort, by an entity totally devoted to attacking the full spectrum of Digital Divide problems Hispanic Americans and Native Americans face, can meet this challenge head-on. Current efforts are too disparate and uncoordinated. Ways must be found to accelerate the rate of involvement with, and acceptance of, information and information technologies as potential solutions to many problems confronted by Hispanics and Native Americans. And these options must be presented with respect to cultural integrity, and appropriateness of design and function. Attention must be given to the differences within and among these groups as well as the similarities.

Knowledge River, spearheaded by the University of Arizona's School of Information Resources and Library Science in collaboration with the University of Arizona Libraries and several departments on campus, is devoted to gaining specific knowledge of our target groups, state of the art information technologies and innovative education methods. In addition, a variety of scholars and experts from across the nation in areas as varied as information policy, high tech industries, media outlets, information and computer science, information seeking behaviors, educational methods, Spanish and Native American languages and culture, museums, and community outreach will join with members of Hispanic and Native American communities to work on an agenda of outcomes that will aggregately empower them as information creators, seekers and users.

Knowledge River's Goals are:

• TO BE A BEACON for scholars, educators and practitioners, public and private entities to join with Native American and Hispanic communities in addressing their information needs.
• TO SET A STANDARD for state-of the art, interdisciplinary library education for Hispanics and Native Americans, authentically representing their cultural and linguistic perspectives.
• TO CREATE AN AGENDA for research and public discourse that advances the interests of Native Americans and Hispanics in the Information Age.
• TO REACH OUT with opportunities to inform and educate community members and working practitioners on ways to address the issues of Hispanics and Native Americans with library and information solutions.

Knowledge River in the News:

Knowledge River, Library Journal, 4/15/04
The Knowledge River Model, Library Journal, 9/1/02
Grant to Boost Recruiting for Hispanic, Indian Librarians (Associated Press)
Librarians Looking for Minority Students (UANews.org, 6/24/01)
IMLS Responds to Nation's Shortage of Librarians Funds Recruitment, Education and Technology Training (IMLS.gov, 7/17/01)

For more information, please Knowledge River at 520-621-3958 or janabrad@email.arizona.edu or visit the Knowledge River website at http://knowledgeriver.arizona.edu/