New Community Networks: Wired for Change

Schuler has been a crusading pioneer in the community network arena and it will help the cause to have a significant book available that presents his views. His breadth of knowledge, personal experience, and the numerous examples he presents are the strong parts of this project. His enthusiasm shows and there are many appealing anecdotes. This has the potential to be an important book that gains national attention.-- Ben Shneiderman, University of Maryland Author of Designing the User InterfaceIn an era when many communities are declining, activists at the grassroots level all over the world are building community networks that are designed to reinvigorate communities by encouraging dialogue and providing a forum for voices that too often go unheard. Via the new computer networking technology, new communities can now connect electronically to pursue various activities including: community and public health projects, long-distance learning, performances, and virtual spaces. This book should be read by government officials, librarians, policy analysts, educators, journalists, social service administrators, students, social and political activists and -- in fact -- by anyone concerned about our communities and the uses of technology in our society.Highlights: * Provides a helpful reference for people trying to develop and sustain their own community networks. * Details issues critical for the success of a community-based network. * Includes case studies from the Santa Monica PEN project, Community Memory in Berkeley, the Cleveland Free-Net, and the Big Sky Telegraph system in rural Montana. * Explains short- and long-term issues about community networks. * Includes an extensive reference section and numerous appendices providing handy access to a plethora of information related to community networks. Schuler brings us the good news about the Internet: many-to-many communications can be a rich and powerful tool for community-building. Schuler tells us why and how community networks are a promising new technology for revitalizing not just community, but democracy. This is not just a manifesto. It's an invaluable and deep sourcebook for grassroots activists.Howard Rheingold, Author of The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier Interview by Howard Rheingold with Doug Schuler, (Salon, Issue #11, Apr 6-21, 1996) 0201595532B04062001