Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 18, 2019

The nonprofit Benetech team built the revolutionary Bookshare library for this community, all online, and based on the powerfully flexible ebook. We named this library Bookshare because it was created with an army of crowdsourcing volunteers, many of them blind people themselves, who scan the books using optical character recognition.

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NTEN

APRIL 29, 2021

Despite needing to access online services, almost a quarter of U.S. Ellie Avis, a fellow in Josephine County, OR, launched a hotspot lending program that allows library patrons to bring their connectivity home. Felicia Tillman, a fellow from Atlanta, formed partnerships to bring digital literacy training to uniquely sweet spaces.

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Tech Soup

JULY 24, 2014

Bringing mobile devices into adult library programs can be an excellent way to promote library e-media and teach digital literacy skills. Eastern) for Adult Library Programs Gone Mobile , where you can learn how libraries can help meet the need and demand for mobile-device assistance through creative programming.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 17, 2014

The tools we develop for that purpose span a range of fields—from human rights , to global literacy , to the environment —but no matter what area we work in, we depend on an IP system that’s friendly to technological advances and to positive social impact. copyright law. In the U.S.,

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Tech Soup

MAY 3, 2013

Dana Abbey is the Health Information Literacy Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental region. She has a background in public libraries, library consultation, and prescription drug monitoring. It includes access to training and training materials, and they have grants available.

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Tech Soup

AUGUST 20, 2013

At TechSoup, we support the efforts of nonprofits and public libraries working to build digitally inclusive and literate communities through donated technology from our corporate partners. project is focused on teaching digital literacy to young people so they can be prepared for 21 st. Microsoft's YouthSpark. century jobs.

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Tech Soup

JUNE 20, 2011

Access to the Internet and computer training are key services. public libraries and some nonprofits provide. billion to expand access to. How to Evaluate Your Digital Literacy Program Thursday, June 30, 11 a.m. Analyst at the Colorado State Library and a BTOP grant recipient, will discuss. their computer skills.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 16, 2013

You see, several months later, the federal Department of Education challenged us to compete against a well-respected national nonprofit 60 times our size in a bid to provide accessible educational materials for US students who are blind, dyslexic, or otherwise print disabled. million contract to do just that. Fast-forward six years.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 8, 2015

Benetech is hiring new Vice Presidents for our Global Literacy and Human Rights programs. The Vice President of Global Literacy leads Benetech’s biggest program, standing at the confluence of some of the most active and rapidly evolving fields: digital content, EdTech, domestic and international education, and user-centered design.

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Tech Soup

JULY 16, 2013

And what if a person, regardless of age, could learn anything from typing to HTML to using an iPad without any cost or accessibility barriers? Libraries, nonprofits, and schools are already working hard to teach digital skills and competency, but they need support of the entire community to help people thrive in the technology age.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

For them, Bookshare —Benetech’s Global Literacy initiative and the world’s largest accessible digital library for people with print disabilities—opens up a lifeline to reading. SEChallenge a11y accessibility Bookshare crowdfunding CrowdRise Huffington Post print disabilities Reading Skoll Foundation veterans'

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Tech Soup

JULY 17, 2015

adults still don't have broadband Internet access at home. The June 2015 FCC proposal calls for an expansion of Lifeline to provide low-income households with a choice of subsidized phone service or broadband Internet access. These smartphones are rudimentary, but do provide web and email access and also run Android apps.

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Tech Soup

JULY 25, 2012

Valerie Hill is an adjunct instructor at Texas Woman's University School of Library and Information Science and is also a librarian herself. She came to the Nonprofit Commons to share her areas of expertise in media literacy, human-computer interaction, and the impact of the digital revolution on education and libraries.

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Tech Soup

JANUARY 10, 2012

Back in September, we posted a summary of App It Up's nonprofit and library apps survey. represent the full range of nonprofit and library app experiences. represent the full range of nonprofit and library app experiences. Nonprofits and libraries are interested in building their own apps, though they.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 2, 2012

Bookshare, Benetech’s pioneering digital library for people with print disabilities, celebrated its 10th birthday last night with a terrific party that was attended by many of our long-time friends and supporters. As a result, we quickly became the largest online library for people with print disabilities. said Stevie. Thanks Stevie!

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Tech Soup

OCTOBER 29, 2014

Privacy has always been an important topic in digital literacy. Scott Pinkelman, digital literacy innovation specialist at the Free Library of Philadelphia , recently presented on this important topic at the Digital Shift online conference. But with proper education, Internet users can fight back against these digital creeps.

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Tech Soup

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Basically, it allows one computer to serve several people in a lab or library at very low cost and with minimum maintenance. La Conner Regional Library was one of our test sites. It is a small, rural library that serves 5,000 people in the Skagit Valley in northern Washington State. She became the library tech person by default.

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Tech Soup

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Basically, it allows one computer to serve several people in a lab or library at very low cost and with minimum maintenance. La Conner Regional Library was one of our test sites. It is a small, rural library that serves 5,000 people in the Skagit Valley in northern Washington State. She became the library tech person by default.

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Library Case Study Studies Instructional 40

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I want to unveil several of these new initiatives, as well as sneaking in some of the incredible things happening in our core programs in literacy and human rights. Our members are now downloading accessible books at a rate of more than one million books per year! and James L. with the books they need for educational success.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 14, 2011

Our work to date repeatedly demonstrates bridging this market failure gap: Our Literacy team has reinvented the traditional library for the blind, reducing the cost of producing an accessible book by a factor of 100 and ending the book famine that people who are blind or print disabled have faced for years.

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Tech Soup

DECEMBER 7, 2010

With shrinking budgets, providing increased access to the Internet and training for computer literacy can be particularly challenging for libraries and public computing centers. read more.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 20, 2006

We have been helping blind and print disabled people gain access to books for over 17 years. Two recent experiences underscored different parts of this struggle to deliver access. It's great to see someone still using one of our products to access books for this length of time.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 3, 2011

One of these sub-themes is “Accessibility: removing barriers and promoting disability-inclusive development.” Of course, accessibility is right up Benetech’s alley and the focus of our Literacy program. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

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Tech Soup

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

When you work at a nonprofit or public library, it might feel like you constantly need to learn new skills to stay on top of emerging technology and adoption. TechSoup's Tech Training for Nonprofits and Libraries. Learn how to implement and conduct effective tech training for your nonprofit or library staff!

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

But, I expect that 75% of the job will be about analyzing the legal issues from our programs, especially in our Global Literacy Program, which includes Bookshare, the largest digital library for the blind and dyslexic in the U.S., as well as our Human Rights Program, which supports activists fighting injustice around the world.

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Tech Soup

DECEMBER 22, 2014

On December 17, TechSoup hosted a SoupChat for nonprofits and libraries looking for more information on website design and hosting. A staffer from a small library listed a few popular services — WordPress, Wix, and Weebly — adding that she worried she might regret her decision six months down the road.

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Tech Soup

JUNE 3, 2016

In partnership with these organizations, TechSoup will be hosting a series of webinars about technology and innovation for early childhood literacy organizations and researchers. If you work with young children at a nonprofit or library, this free webinar series is for you. Media Mentors: Building Literacy Skills for the Digital Age.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 2, 2012

For the past ten years, Benetech’s Bookshare library has provided accessible books for people with print disabilities. Benetech’s Vice President and general manager of our literacy program, Betsy Beaumon, also purchased several works from Creativity Explored after our holiday gathering. You can too!

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Neon CRM

JULY 20, 2023

For example, say you wanted to run a capital campaign to buy a new building for your literacy organization; your feasibility study process might look like this: Define your goal: Your project aims to raise $300,000 to purchase a new building to hold a library. Our goal is to raise $200,000 to bring this vision to life.

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Tech Soup

SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

As more and more information moves online, Americans without Internet access are increasingly being left behind. provides a succinct visual summary of the issue and potential solutions, including: Why Internet access matters to individuals, communities, and the U.S. Picturing the Problem. The infographic. as a whole. What We Can Do.

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Tech Soup

MARCH 7, 2016

Spring forward into technology for your nonprofit or library during March! If you have an interest in understanding how technology can positively impact early childhood-focused nonprofits or library staff, register today for this first installment of the four-part series. Sprout Your Digital Literacy Training Program.

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Tech Soup

JANUARY 21, 2014

In our last blog post , we talked about the surprising number of Americans without access to. information on low-cost computers and digital literacy training brings. together the access, hardware, and training needed to. Unlimited Access: It’s a $10/month Internet plan that offers unlimited data. getting connected.

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Tech Soup

APRIL 7, 2014

Last week, TechSoup for Libraries held a webinar called Public Tech Instruction: Teaching the Public on Internet Safety. The presenters, Austin Stroud of the Monroe County Public Library and Crystal Schimpf of TechSoup for Libraries, shared resources for teaching online safety and security. Assessments/Quizzes.

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 28, 2012

My organization, Benetech, alone has products and services touching on all of these areas: • We write the leading software package used for managing conservation projects: Miradi, a standalone software program usable on PCs and Macs, and our Read2Go software is the leading Special Education Literacy software for the iOS platform (for iPhones and iPads) (..)

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Tech Soup

OCTOBER 9, 2014

LocalFreeWeb is an SMS service that helps people find free Internet access in San Francisco. The user will receive a text with the three closest locations that have free Internet access. The developers ensured that the locations weren't just providing free Wi-Fi access, but actual computers as well. Bond & Me.

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Tech Soup

AUGUST 23, 2013

The idea is to engage these residents and wherever possible to teach them how to use digital devices, provide Internet access through computer labs or classes, and provide them with very low-cost home computers. The Kansas City Public Library System will also have a role in this work. Image: City of Kansas City.

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Tech Soup

APRIL 29, 2013

Libraries Building Bridges. Public libraries are also working diligently to close both the digital and the opportunity gap: from giving free classes on resume-building to providing free access to technology. TechSoup for Libraries: Edge Benchmarks: Gadget Instruction. Digital Divide Microsoft libraries youth education'

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