Resources
GOOD READING
Community Networks: Lessons from Blacksburg, Virginia
- by Andrew Cohill & Andrea Kavanaugh
New Community Networks: Wired
for Change - an online book by Doug Schuler
Community
Network Briefing Book - from Blacksburg Electronic Village
TOOLKITS
CTCNet Center Start Up Manual
- First published in 1997, the CTC Center Start-Up Manual is widely
recognized as a principal guide for establishing CTCs and serves as an
organized patchwork of CTC experiences
Community Building Resource Exchange -
This web site, a project of the Aspen
Institute Roundtable on Comprehensive Community Initiatives for Children
and Families, provides a broad array of resources and information about
innovative community building efforts to revitalize poor neighborhoods and
improve the life circumstances of residents and their families.
Compaq’s
TechBuilder
Thumbs Up - Evaluating Community Websites -
Thumbs Up is
an evaluation tool designed to help community members find what works and
doesn't work in the design and planning stages of their websites. By
choosing random community websites the user of this tool gets to view
other community's attempts at putting their presence on the Internet.
Following the look at the site an evaluation form is presented in a
modified "Siskel and Ebert" thumbs up or down format.
Good Neighbor's Guide to
Community Networking - A series of readings and URLs intended to
present a summative guide, and hands-on Web Tour, to the essential lessons
and concepts gleaned from the experience of the early community networking
pioneers who explored new methods of matching �caring and connectivity� to
create social value for their communities.
HUD's Neighborhood Networks Publications -
Neighborhood Networks is a
community-based program created by HUD in 1995. Through innovative
private/public partnerships, Neighborhood Networks establishes
multi-service community technology centers (CTCs) that bring digital
opportunity and life-long learning to low-and moderate-income residents
living in Multifamily assisted and/or insured housing.
Online
Community Toolkit -
Thinking about building or
hosting an online community? Looking for specific tips, tools and ideas?
Start here. The following is a collection of articles by Full Circle
Associates Nancy White, Sue Boettcher, Heather Duggan and others.
Telecommunications Infrastructure Readiness Index -
The
Readiness Index is an inventory and evaluation diagnostic of the
Telecommunications Infrastructure in your community. Part A, the
telecommunications Quotient helps you analyze individual affinity for
using telecommunications technology; Part B, the Infrastructure Index,
helps the community document local Internet access and evaluate the
community presence on the World Wide Web and Part C, includes an
assessment of telecommunications providers in your community.
Wiring Rural Vermont - A recap of the process of wiring rural Vermont.
Community Development Tool - prepared
by the Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board to help
communities interested in applying for a TIF community networking grant,
this planning aid lays out the steps and requirements for planning and
implementing a community-based computer network.
LINKS
America Connects Consortium for CTCs - The
America Connects Consortium is a collaboration of eight partners and
allied organizations, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, who are
working together to bring information, training, technical assistance,
public attention, and new resources to community technology centers across
the country.
Appalachian Center for Economic Networks
- The Appalachian Center for
Economic Networks (ACEnet) is a community economic development
organization located in rural southeastern Ohio. The mission of ACEnet is
to build the capacity of local communities to network, innovate, and work
together to create a strong, sustainable regional economy that has
opportunities for all.
Association
for Community Networking
- The Association For Community Networking (AFCN) is an educational
nonprofit corporation dedicated to fostering and supporting "Community
Networking" -- community-based creation & provision of appropriate
technology services. AFCN's mission is to improve the visibility,
viability and vitality of Community Networking by assisting and connecting
people and organizations, building public awareness, identifying best
practices, encouraging research, influencing policy, and developing
products & services.
Austin
Free-Net
- A
non-profit corporation established in 1995, Austin Free-Net (AFN) helps
community organizations launch free Internet access sites for the public.
AFN provides technical expertise, services and equipment to community
organizations, to build computer labs that are technologically and
economically self-sustaining over time.
Blacksburg
Electronic Village - An outreach project of
Virginia Tech, the Blacksburg Electronic
Village serves the local community, as well as providing a resource for
information about starting a community network, telecommunications
infrastructure planning and developing economic development initiatives.
Community Technology Review
ContentBank
Digital Divide Network
Intel Computer Clubhouse
Lone Eagle Resources (by Frank
Odasz)
Metropolitan
Austin Interactive Network
PowerUP
Techsoup.orgTechSupports
Texas
Rural Development Council
U.S. Department of
Education CTC program
WebTeacher
YouthLearn
COMMUNITY NETWORK DIRECTORIES
AFCN Community
Network Database
Blacksburg Electronic Village Digital Library
Community Networks and Community Information Systems
TCRC's Directory of Community Networks & Freenets
