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In the first decades of ICT adoption, Whites traditionally had higher levels of Internet access and usage. We examine whether race remains a factor in Internet usage, among a group presumed to be digital natives – middle school students.

A survey was administered to a racially/ethnically diverse sample of students in a mid-Atlantic school district including White, Hispanic, African American, and Asian/Pacific Islander. The survey sought to measure time spent engaged in varying Internet activities and related sociodemographic factors.

The analyses indicate that Whites do not have higher levels of Internet usage, and in many cases racial minority youth are more engaged in Internet activities than Whites. This holds true when accounting for a number of sociodemographic and background factors that are known to affect Internet usage.

This chapter adds to the evidence that within the United States the digital divide has become more about the “other dimensions” such as how the Internet is used, rather than merely access or ownership (e.g., first level digital divide issues) at the middle school level.

This chapter will be beneficial to researchers who study the digital divide and those who seek to understand the myriad uses of computers among youth. It will also be beneficial for those who seek to integrate computer interventions in schools. This study includes one of the most diverse samples of middle school students in the United States. The results suggest that there are multiple dimensions to the digital divide and that patterns of use are changing among middle school youth.

THE DC‐10 era is effecting subtle changes in the maintenance procedures. The basic objectives of maintaining safe equipment at a reasonable cost have not changed. The means of achieving the objectives are changing. Digital equipment, which has so much to offer in terms of reliability, capability, and cost, will require a new degree of sophistication on the part of maintenance people and equipment. Digital circuits operate on the basis of information transfer at a high cyclic rate. The control of this data transfer is the function of special purpose digital computers. Although the computer has cither serial or parallel arithmetic organisation, the output information is in a serial digital format at a reasonably high output rate. These system characteristics have resulted in maintenance people requiring a new type of electronics knowledge — the ability to work with digital logic diagrams, computer organisation and computer programs. The performance data cannot be readily evaluated by voltage measurements or analog traces on an XY recorder as has been accomplished in the past. At the same time that the equipment is becoming more difficult to understand and test, manual testing is becoming more lengthy and, in some respects, tedious because of the digital mechanisation of the functions. Airlines will not be able to afford to use their skilled maintenance technicians for routine tasks. They will be better utilised for troubleshooting problems. As a result, the relatively unsophisticated test benches of the past are becoming obsolete and are being replaced by either sophisticated manual test equipment or sophisticated automatic test equipment.

This study aims to determine the requirements and find out the challenges for the use of digital library services for rural areas of Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo province. The research questions of the study are: What are the requirements for the use of digital library services in rural areas of Capricorn District Municipality? What are the challenges of accessing digital library services in rural areas?

Data was analysed thematically and deductively in this study, as researcher required to accomplish the purpose of the study through consistent structure (Zalaghi and Khazaei, 2016). In deductive analysis, the researcher starts with a set of categories, which are then used to categorize and organize data (Bertram and Christiansen, 2020). The researcher got familiar with data from the interviewing process and when transcribing data from audio tape. The transcription process was done for the coding purposes. Coding allows the researcher to simplify and focus on specific characteristics of data.

The study findings advocate for the establishment of digital libraries in rural areas. The library authorities are challenged to adapt digital ways of information provision. Since librarians have been providing digital content in libraries for use on users’ laptops and other gadgets, this implies that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has been lagging behind in finding innovative ways to provide information, especially in rural areas. To successfully keep libraries as sources of information, transformative measures have to be taken, and where possible, revisit the policies and keep drifting with the societal changes. The library authorities have to delve into new ways of providing LIS to the communities. Unquestionably, information and communication technologies have penetrated our societies and became a way of life. In addition, there are unlimited benefits which can be derived from digital technologies, especially given the lack of physical libraries in rural areas.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the academic research is original and has not been published anywhere before.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a 40‐hour computer course for beginners provided to a group of unemployed women learners with no/minimum computer literacy skills who can be characterized as digital immigrants. The aim of the study is to identify participants' perceptions and experiences regarding technology, any barriers and challenges faced throughout the computer course and the extent to which the computer course assisted them in becoming computer literate and employable. This case study was based on the European Commission's EQUAL program.

A case study approach was employed making use of qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data were collected using three different questionnaires (the background questionnaire, the Loyd/Gressard Computer Attitude Scale questionnaire and the Computer Skills Tests questionnaire) and qualitative data were collected through two focus groups. A total of nine unemployed women with no/minimum computer literacy skills were the focus of investigation. The 40‐hour computer literacy course and the data collection process took place in May‐June 2007.

Results demonstrated the effectiveness and necessity of computer courses for digital immigrants. The participants developed an acceptable level of computer literacy skills and a more positive attitude towards technology. They further realized the importance of possessing computer literacy skills specifically in relation to their employability, professional path and career development. Their self‐esteem in relation to technology was also increased on professional, educational, and personal levels.

The study confirms the necessity to explore further instructional design and implementation of digital immigrants' education and training regarding computer technology.

It has been a decade, as the collaboration between the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) to extend information and communication technology (ICT) and library services to rural deprived, unserved and underserved communities in Ghana dubbed the library connectivity project. This paper aims to evaluate this initiative from the perspective of relevant key stakeholders and through the lens of the digital inclusion model.

The study adopted a qualitative approach to evaluate the library connectivity project offered to deprived communities in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Interviews were conducted with the head librarians, ICT teachers and school librarians. Focus group discussions were held with pupils from four beneficiary schools of the project. The researchers also witnessed four of the outreach programmes and training sessions and observed the mode of instruction.

The study brought to fore the enormous benefits of the library connectivity project as it aided school pupils to acquire practical ICT skills, which were found to be useful towards their final exam. Despite the enormous benefit of the project, it was bereft with a lot of challenges such as inadequate logistics and personnel thereby restricting the project to very few schools. Low staff motivation and unmotorable roads were also found to be a challenge, which could all be as a result of lack of funds.

The paper underscores the importance of computer and information literacy and reveals how the GhLA is using innovative mobile library services to bridge the digital divide through the library connectivity project.

This paper makes a further contribution to the paucity of literature on the role of mobile libraries in the promotion of computer and information literacy.

To explore the meaning, methods and techniques associated with the subject of computer forensics and consider the implications of computer forensics for records managers and recordkeeping.

Critically analyses the principles of computer forensics in the context of records characteristics – authenticity, reliability, integrity and usability – and the UK Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) principles and procedures for the collection of digital evidence.

The disciplines of records management and computer forensics are potentially mutually compatible. Computer forensics allows for identification of incidents, gathering of evidence, analysis of evidence and potentially recovery of records. Records managers can utilise computer forensics principles to positively enhance records management and have valuable knowledge and expertise to share with their computer forensics colleagues; e.g. metadata expertise, functional requirements for electronic records management, recordkeeping systems design and implementation methodologies, digital preservation and retention management.

Discusses how computer forensics can be used to highlight inadequate recordkeeping and provide a different perspective on records management based on an analysis of principles and concepts rather than empirical data.

Highlights the need for records managers to understand computer forensics and computer forensic scientists to understand recordkeeping to support better records management in the electronic environment; raises the implications for educators, trainers and professional societies.

Very little has been published on the discussion of the potential implications of computer forensics for records managers or how computer forensics can enhance the records management discipline; this paper addresses the gap.

Disaster management is an issue that has received relatively little attention in libraries, particularly in India. With the growth in digital resources in libraries, it is necessary for librarians to understand and apply the ways of protecting digital data and the related equipment from disaster. The purpose of this paper is to address the issues related to digital data protection in libraries in India. It aims to investigate the perceptions of librarians about the probability of digital disasters happening in their libraries, and to assess the level of digital disaster preparedness among libraries.

A questionnaire based survey of 276 libraries in the Western region of India was conducted to find out the digital data protection measures taken by them. The paper provides an overview and analysis of the general trends in digital data protection in these libraries.

The research results indicate that due to lack of knowledge about handling of digital data, and inadequate digital infrastructure setup in organizations, the chances of loss of digital data are high. However, common measures like taking backup of data manually are mostly followed by all libraries. The paper has identified the trends in protection of digital data, as well as the lacunae, in Indian libraries. Basic guidelines on digital data preservation are also presented in the paper.

The guidelines provided in the paper will be useful to any libraries to take measures for protection of the digital data. The libraries will be able to prepare their digital data protection plan and train the staff accordingly.

This paper is the first to address the issue of digital disaster management in libraries in India. It provides a detailed analysis of digital data protection measures taken by Indian libraries currently.

The purpose of this paper is to show that digital natives are different from older age groups.

The first survey asks questions about general computer searching behaviors. The second survey asks the students to find two items to see if they can find them.

Digital natives are different in their search behavior, preferring to use web‐based search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing.

There are 120 respondents to the first survey and 27 in the second.

More focus needs to be placed on the digital natives' search habits to find out how best to serve this population.

Unless digital natives are taught how to search academic databases, they will be done a great disservice.

The two surveys are unique in data content.

Recent development of internet applications and increase in application of various information technology have supported growing demand for new skills related to ICT and internet use, computer literacy and technical digital skills. New technologies have changed many aspects of life and have led to significant differences in digital skills, computer literacy, ICT and internet use along the usual dimensions of social inequality. Purpose of the study is to analyze main challenges and problems of digital inequalities in households in Latvia by regions, territories and income and level of education. Design/Methodology/Approach: This chapter analyzes scientific publication and previous conducted research results and data of Digital Economy and Society Index, Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (2019) data and Eurostat. Data are analyzed using indicators of descriptive statistics (indicators of central tendency or location – arithmetic mean, mode and median), indicators of variability (indicators of dispersion – range, standard deviation and standard error of mean), cross-tabulations by region, territories, income and level of education and analysis of variance are used. Findings: The results of analysis indicated that there are differences between rural and urban Internet access, socioeconomic differences between people with different income and education that affects their ability to access the Internet and digital skills. Practical implications: Latvia would benefit from motivating life-long learning, investing on digital technology and raise awareness of the importance of digitization. Originality/value: The results of this chapter can provide valuable pointers for decision-makers how to improve digital skills and digitalization process in regions of Latvia and how digital inequality can be reduced.