Building A Digitally Inclusive World

Come and join a panel of speakers to engage with different aspects of social and digital inclusion, and the kind of work school, public, academic, research and special libraries are doing in this space.

RSVP to: events.natlib@dia.govt.nz

Digital inclusion complex, multifaceted and ongoing
The COVID-19 situation has effectively highlighted that digital inclusion is essential and fundamental to economic and social well-being at national, organisational and individual level. It has also brought home that “Digital inclusion” as a concept, goal and need is complex, multifaceted and ongoing.

“Everyone in New Zealand has what they need to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from a digital world.” - Government's vision: The Digital Inclusion Blueprint

Different things to different people
Based on individual needs, digital inclusion means different things to different people. If we think of digital inclusion in terms of engaging with the digital world, the access and information needs of a vision impaired person are vastly different to those of a sighted refugee or a local first-generation university student. Whereas the need for belonging and representation in the social and digital world, which is as real as people’s need for information and essential services, adds another dimension to digital inclusion.

Panel of speakers
Come join a panel of speakers to engage with different aspects of social and digital inclusion, and the kind of work school, public, academic, research and special libraries are doing in this space.

Speakers include:

Jarek Beksa, PhD, CEO & Founder Sonnar Interactive Ltd. Lecturer, Media Design School AUT
Jennifer Campbell Meyer, Information Studies Programme Director, Wellington School of Business and Government
Kim Connolly-Stone, Policy Director for InternetNZ
Laurinda Thomas, Libraries and Community Spaces Manager, Wellington City Council
Dr Abi Bateson, Digital Archivist, Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash