Cost benefit analysis of public access venues in Chile

Given the proliferation of public access venues, such as cybercafes, telecentres, and public libraries, in developing countries, it is important to understand what value and perceived costs users associate with using and having access to these venues. By employing benefit cost analysis (BCA) methodologies, this in-depth study will explore the costs and benefits of providing and using public access information and communication technologies (ICT).

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Fieldwork in Chile begins for public access ICT in disaster research

TASCHA researchers, Maria Garrido and Beth Patin, visited Chile in February to participate in fieldwork for their study investigating the role of telecentres and public libraries in disaster management. The visit included focus groups with public access venue users and staff, interviews with government officials, and visits to telecentres and public libraries affected by the 2010 earthquake and tsunami. Maria, Beth, and their partners from ATACH made many interesting preliminary observations about how these public access venues adapted and responded to local community needs following the disaster.

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Public access ICT in disaster management

It is becoming clear through recent research that public access ICT venues can play an important role in various crisis situations. As a contribution to the growing field of crisis informatics, we are pleased to announce our partnership with a related research study, The Role of Public Internet Access Venues in Disaster Management and Prevention: The Case of the 2010 Earthquake in Chile. Exploring the experiences of public access ICT venues in Chile after the 2010 earthquake, this study aims to identify findings that could help in other settings. Exploring the experiences of public access ICT venues in Chile after the 2010 earthquake, this study aims to identify findings that could help in other settings.

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Release of public access ICT venue database

The Global Impact Study is excited to announce the release of our public access ICT venue database. Utilizing the inventory data collected in Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Lithuania, and the Philippines, the web database offers multiple search options, three different visualizations of the data, and is part of the Global Impact Study's commitment to open research.

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Common research tools, contrasting contexts: lessons from the Infomediaries team

The Infomediaries in-depth study team recently compiled a Lessons Report based on what was learned along the way to create common data collection tools for three countries. We hope that our Lessons Report may help other scholars who are working in various contexts with a common set of research tools.

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