Technology a cultural equalizer

“Technology:
A Cultural Equalizer?”
By Fe Angela M. Verzosa

PLAI National Congress on
“Libraries: Preservers and Promoters
of Culture and Arts”
Punta Villa Resort, Arevalo, Iloilo City
November 20-22, 2013

Introduction
Is Technology a cultural equalizer?
Can we promote technology to be a cultural
equalizer?
How can we preserve our Culture in an age
of virtualization?
Is there something we can do about the
“digital divide”?
2

Fe Angela M. Verzosa

1. Who have access to technology?





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“Lack of access” means “Lack of opportunity.”
Only 35 percent of the world’s population is connected
to the Internet, and people in rural and poor
communities are the least likely to have online access
or the skills to navigate the digital world.
Through the Internet, individuals search for
employment, access government programs, learn new
skills through online courses, research important health
issues, and engage in social interactions with distant
family members and friends.


Today, there are 4.6 billion people who do
not yet use the Internet for a variety of
reasons:
cost
availability
need

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Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/focus/10/03/13/philippines-among-worlds-best-internet-freedom

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Internet Access


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"Freedom on the Net 2013" report, a study that
evaluates 60 countries, based on obstacles to access,
limits on content, and violations of user rights.
The Philippines ranks 10th worldwide, despite
monitoring and filtering activities in the workplace as
reported in the country.
The study indicates, despite nearly unrestricted access
to the internet in the country, only 36% of an estimated
96 million Filipinos were connected online in 2012.

Internet Access






"Usage is concentrated in urban areas, with rural areas
largely underserved.”
"A significant number of users still rely on dialup connections, as just two percent of the population had
fixed broadband subscriptions in 2012.”
“Steep broadband subscription fees stand in the way of
higher penetration.” (In 2013, even as legislators urged telecoms
to cut rates by 50 percent in order to promote universal access, the
average cost of broadband subscriptions remained between $7 and
$19 a month).

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

"An industry monopoly has contributed to inflated costs."
Fe Angela Verzosa


In developing countries, there are far more
men than women online, and the reasons
for this Internet gender gap often have
more to do with culture and environmental
factors than anything else.
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

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25% fewer women than men have access to the
Internet, and the gap soars to 35% in SEA, and
nearly 45 percent in other regions like Africa.
Aside from lack of access, almost 40 percent cite
lack of familiarity or comfort with technology.
Lack of awareness of the Internet’s potential benefits
keeps women from tapping its potential.
In India and Egypt women believe the Internet is not
“appropriate” for them, and their culture disapproves.

Source: http://blandinonbroadband.org/2013/01/17/in-developingworld-25-percent-fewer-women-than-men-have-access-to-theinternet/


Internet Gender Gap

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Source: http://www.wired.com/business/2013/01/internet-gender-gap/

2. Is Technology really culturally neutral?
Well the physics aspect of technology might
be universal, but the user experience is not.
People need to be comfortable using a tool.
The more barriers to its use, the less likely
it will used effectively:
language
age
attitude
education
access
gender
Or is this the case of the “digital divide” ?
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3. Is FB the great Cultural Equalizer?

Everything is posted on Facebook–
from simple food choices to religious
convictions, political advocacies, to
witty jokes, wise sayings, photos of
different people, various events, etc.

On Facebook, everyone has the
ability to be a creator, editor,
producer and distributor.
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April 2013 Updates on

Facebook Stats

•Total number of Facebook users: 1.06 billion
•Daily active Facebook users: 618 million
•Total number of Facebook pages: 50 million
•Average number of monthly posts per page: 36
•Total number of Facebook mobile users: 680 million
•Total number of Facebook apps: 10 million
•Total number of Facebook friend connections: 150 billion
•Average number of friends per Facebook user: 141.5
•Total number of Facebook likes since launch: 1.13 trillion
•Average daily Facebook likes: 2.7 billion
Source: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/by-the-numbers-17-amazing-facebook-stats/

Global Facebook
Rank

1- US
2- India
3- Indonesia
4- Brazil
5- Mexico
6- Turkey
7- UK
8- Philippines
9- France
10- Germany

Of the Philippine Facebook population, 39% of users
are 18-24 years old and 24% are 25-34 years old.
Combined, this accounts for 63% of the total Facebook
population.

14.43 million Filipinos are active social networkers
60% are messagers
73% are content sharers
46% are joiners and creators of groups

Philippines has been tagged as "The Social
Networking Capital of the World”

http://ecrimeexpertblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/image2.pn
g

II. Can we promote technology to be a
cultural equalizer?
Starting Assumption:
The role of libraries
as cultural equalizers

The Role of Libraries as Equalizers
 With

their existing infrastructure, dedicated
staff, and mission to connect individuals to
information, libraries are uniquely suited to
offering public access and technology
training to people who would otherwise be
left behind in the digital world.

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The Role of Libraries as Equalizers
Libraries are essential to an educated and enlightened community
because, next to schools, they are the most effective equalizer
between all socio-economic and demographic groups.

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The Challenge
 Although

the Internet is often hailed as “The
Great Equalizer,” allowing everyone with a
connection access to libraries and their
wealth of information in an instant, the
unfortunate and perhaps surprising truth is
that access is not distributed equally to all
segments of the population.

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The Opportunity


Everyone deserves the best possible education we
can provide, regardless of:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

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Socioeconomic status
Gender
Religion
Citizenship status
(Dis)ability
Race or ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Etc.


The Challenge
 Libraries
–
–
–
–

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are NOT culturally neutral

they decide which materials to acquire, what
resources to use…
they decide how users are to be served, what
they should access…
they decide how to engage (or not engage) their
users in the learning process…
And so on...


The Opportunity

Libraries uniquely
provide programs
for literacy and
reading,
opportunities for
research, cultural
events and
information to all.

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Libraries using Web 2.0 tools





Promoting general library services - 88%
Marketing specific programs/services
72%
Providing quick updates to users - 75%
Reaching a new audience of potential users
54%

Source: Social Media, Libraries, and Web 2.0: How American Libraries Are Using
New Tools for Public Relations and to Attract New Users — Fourth Annual
Survey, November 2011.

The Challenge


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Technology is “moving so fast.”
It is a critical instrument of innovation
transforming the ways we live our personal
and professional lives. But only a narrow
and exclusive sector of our population is
learning the skills and techniques imparted
by technology.


The Opportunity
 Libraries

can reinvent themselves and
embrace an expanded role as online
information and learning centers
 A recent study shows that library users tend
to access more information about health,
government, education, and culture than
those who use the Internet at other public
locations.
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http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries

The Problem of cultural inequity


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The problem of cultural inequity is one of
consciousness, not only one of practice
– Impossibility of implementing a multicultural
environment if one doesn’t think and see
multiculturally
– “I cannot teach against racism if I am a racist”
– Shaking free from traditional models of teaching
and learning…


III. How can we preserve our
Culture in an age of virtualization?

Libraries as “The Equitable
Learning Environment”

Libraries as cultural promoters




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The multicultural nature of society has changed libraries
world-wide resulting in the need for significant changes in
the types of services, programs, and collections provided
to culturally diverse communities of users.
Transforming libraries into multicultural institutions will
require culturally competent professionals who
understand and respect the diverse backgrounds of
individuals, and who have developed a high level of
expertise and knowledge about culture and its
significance in all aspects of librarianship.

Developing Cultural Competencies




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“Cultural competence is a highly developed ability to recognize
the significance of culture in one’s own life and in the lives of
others;
“and to come to know and appreciate diverse cultural
backgrounds and characteristics through interaction with
individuals from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic
groups;
“and to fully integrate the culture of diverse groups into
services, work, and institutions in order to enhance the lives of
both those being served by the library profession and those
engaged in service.”

Source:
http://www.ala.org/irrt/sites/ala.org.irrt/files/content/irrtcommittees/irrtintl
papers/Patricia_Montiel-Ove.pdf

Cultural competence is simply defined as” the
capacity to understand and respect differences
of culture”, and “to address issues of disparity
among diverse populations competently”.
Note: ACRL has recently released the “Cultural Competency
Standards for Academic Libraries.” These standards represent an
excellent step towards inclusivity and cultural pluralism -- a
necessary part of the continuing conversations about social justice
and the importance of diverse perspectives in civic life.

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

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it means having the ability to create and maintain a
more equitable environment for library users, including
the ability to establish and maintain relationships
among diverse cultural and ethnic groups.
“Cultural competence does not end with knowledge
about diverse cultures. It begins a lifelong process of
learning about cultural differences to effectively reach
those who would beneﬁt the most from library
services.”

http://knowledgeriver.sites.arizona.edu/sites/knowledgeriver.sites.arizona.edu/files/M
ontiel-Overall2009Cultural%20competence%20a%20conceptual%20framework
%20for%20LIS%20professionals.pdf

Identify and work to eliminate biases,
prejudices, and assumptions
Example: Race/ethnicity, gender, religion,
sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic
status, (dis)ability, first language, etc.
 Identify and work to broaden your teaching
learning, and research style to suit patron
needs (and not your preferences)


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
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Provide services in the dialect of the
community.
Provide access to popular literature of
interest to diverse cultural interests of library
users.
Plan for instructional methods in the
“language of the users” and vary instructional
materials with various learning styles.
Work to bridge the gap between the haves
and the have-nots.

Closing Reflection
Libraries are the great equalizer. Libraries serve
people of every age, education level, income
level, ethnicity and physical ability. For many
people, libraries provide resources that they
could not otherwise afford---resources they
need to live, learn, work and govern.
- ALA Declaration for the Right to Libraries

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Questions?

famverzosa@yahoo.com

Technology a cultural equalizer

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