Articles on community networking

Much of the material here written in the 1990's, since when much has changed. There is more recent material on Making that Net Work and David Wilcox's blog Designing for Civil Society

Community networking is used here to describe both the structures and practices of using the Internet for community benefit-community networks and community networking. There's no agreed definition of either, but those involved stress:

• Providing support and training to help individuals and groups make use of new technology
• Promoting universal access
• Using the technology for personal development and citizen empowerment
• Using electronic networking to both publish information useful to a local community, and promote communication within the community.

In North America, where community networks have been operating for 10 years, many started by providing access to the Internet. Now this role has been taken up by commercial providers, networks are concentrating on information, communication, support and training.

In the UK networks range from those run by local authorities with tight control of content, through to bulletin board systems where anyone is free to post information. Examples of UK networks and listings of networks internationally are provide on this page.

This page lists articles and books relevant to community networks and networking. Those which are on this site are marked 'local'.

• Articles in How you can use IT in the community- all local
• Other articles

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Other articles

• Inventing the Future Text of a booklet about what the Information Society may mean for communities. (Local).
• Thesis on Community Networks "Community Networks: Building Real Communities in a Virtual Space?" by Neil Guy
• When do ordinary people get a look in? Presentation by David Wilcox to Sussex Community Internet Forum, September 1996. (Local)
• Seven Steps to Building Electronic Communities: succinct guidance by Philippa Gamse and Terry Grunwald (Local).
• The Universal Service: "Win-Win" Solution Frank Odasz, one of the leading figures in US community networking, argues for partnerships between the builders and users of new technology. (Local).
• Virtually Clueless Who knows how to bring people together electronically to make good things happen? Another article by Frank. (Local).
• Community Networks - Definitions and Background Fiona O'Brien and Dave Miller
• The Social Purpose of Community Networks Garth Graham
• Communities on-line: Community-based computer networks. thesis by Beamish, A. (1995) Extracts from the book New Community Networks: Wired for Change, by Doug Schuler
• A workshop handout by Doug Schuler
• Community Internet: presentation by David Wilcox to seminar in Newham October 18 1996
  Telecommunities Canada Conference 1996 Edmonton, Alberta. Report by Steve Cisler, Network Outreach, Apple Computer, Inc.

Some other US resources drawn from Big Sky Telegraph . This will become a space for UK networkers to share their experience with others around the world.

• Creating Learning Communities Study
  Curtis Priest's study of learning communities
• Network Services Research, National Capital Freenet, Canada
  Evaluating new online services and researching network services
• What are Communities Doing On-Line?
  This paper surveys all communities listed in one of the most popular web site directories for communities on-line, USACityLink during October and November of 1995. Presented at Supercomputing '95 December 7, 1995
• Shaping our Communities: The Impacts of Information Technology
  From the TogetherNet folks.
• Blacksburg Electronic Village
  Creating a network model and linking residents to each other at Virginia Tech, VA
• How to Start a Community Network
  Greg Newbie's CPSR presentation on starting a community network. (Loads this paper into Microsoft Word.)
• New Communities/New Communication: Big Sky Telegraph and its Community
  Willard Uncapher's Essay about Big Sky Telegraph
• Harvard Infrastructure Project
  A collaborative activity of the School's Center for Science and International Affairs, its Center for Business and Government, and the Institute for Information Technology Law and Policy at Harvard Law School.
• Old Freedoms and New Technologies; The Evolution of Comnets
  An article about community networking by Jay Weston

If you have an article to contribute, please contact david@partnerships.org.uk

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