The new digital divide: Connected but confused

We thought we solved the digital divide, but libraries are seeing a new challenge.

Digital access is no longer just about getting connected. It’s about having the skills and confidence to maximize your experience with technology.

When was the last time that you had to schedule an appointment or pay a bill online? You have your smartphone in hand and an internet connection, but after clicking ‘forgot password’ one too many times, navigating a confusing portal or wondering whether the link you’re using is even legitimate, you’re no closer to getting it done.

That frustration is what the digital divide looks like today.

For years, New York’s efforts to close the digital divide focused on access – in other words, making sure everyone had a broadband connection and owned a computer or smartphone. But access is only the first step, and few have paused to ask whether individuals even know how to use this connection effectively. Having Wi-Fi does not mean someone knows where to begin when they apply for government benefits, make appointments, upload documents or determine if websites asking for personal information or payment are legitimate.

So how do we solve for this? Education. And Digital Navigators are providing this kind of trusted assistance to residents across Westchester County.

Technology skills are no longer optional, they’re essential

Digital navigators of the Hudson Valley are doing more than connecting people to the internet. We are helping people build the skills needed to use technology in their everyday lives. In today’s digital-first world, having these skills can determine someone’s future. Critical health appointments, financial aid programs and job application portals are all found online. For elderly adults, people with disabilities, busy parents and others who may already face barriers to these resources, a lack of digital confidence only creates additional challenges.

That’s why closing the digital divide requires more than internet access. It requires making sure everyone has the skills and confidence to use the technology already at their fingertips safely and independently, and that they have a free, trusted resource to turn to when they need help.

Public libraries are trustworthy hubs for tech help

Public libraries play one of the most important roles in this mission. Help is available in reliable, familiar places where residents already turn to for answers. At libraries across Westchester, spanning from Yonkers to New Rochelle, Mount Kisco and White Plains, Digital Navigators are providing one-on-one assistance tailored to what each person needs to accomplish.

Digital Navigators start with the individual. Our first question isn’t “what can I teach you?” It is “what are you trying to accomplish?” A Digital Navigator can help clarify the problem, identify the right resource and give that person the skills to take the next step, because those needs look very different across Westchester.

For example, communities like New Rochelle and Ossining are home to large immigrant populations. For these residents, it can be difficult to navigate the unfamiliar systems of a new country without guidance. Some may also come from a place where public libraries don’t exist or aren’t equipped to help, and therefore don’t realize that their local library is a free, trusted resource for assistance.

Elsewhere in the county, particularly in communities where residents are more geographically isolated and driving is often necessary to get around, older adults and people with limited mobility may face a different challenge. They may have a device and an internet connection, but fewer opportunities to sit down with someone who can answer their questions.

In both cases, the request may be different, but the need for trusted help is fundamentally human.

Solving the new digital divide: access plus education

Westchester may be more connected to Wi-Fi, search engines and AI than ever before, but connection alone is no longer enough. The next challenge is making sure every resident has the skills and confidence to benefit from that connection. As more of the services and resources we depend on move online, we’re working to ensure people have the skills and confidence to navigate them.

In our many years of work, we’ve seen firsthand that the best way to help someone navigate an increasingly digital world is also the simplest: give them a trusted human to turn to.

Terry Kirchner is executive director of the Westchester Library System.