Mobile Libraries and Digital Inclusion: A Study from Aotearoa New Zealand

Mobile libraries serve communities in a range of ways throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally but their contribution to supporting digital inclusion in non-urban areas has not been explored in depth. This paper presents data from an exploratory research project focused on how mobile libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand extend digital services to those who cannot access public library buildings services conveniently. The findings show that the mobile librarians provide a range of digital inclusion services, predominantly access to technologies and skills development and, by so doing, contribute positively to digital inclusion in non-urban areas of Aotearoa New Zealand.

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Public Library Quarterly on 27/06/2022, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/01616846.2022.2029223