Digital Literacy, as defined by the American Library Association (ALA, 2022), is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information that requires cognitive and technical skills. Tennessee’s workers, students, and families increasingly rely on the internet and digital devices in everyday life.  Some 37% of Tennesseans do not have home access to high-speed broadband internet, and many cannot afford broadband subscription services or the devices needed to maintain access to high-quality internet (BroadbandSearch, 2021).

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA, 2022) defines digital inclusion as activities needed to ensure that individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, access and use information and communication technologies.  These technologies include five elements: 1) affordable, robust broadband internet service; 2) internet-enabled devices meeting user needs; 3) access to digital literacy training; 4) quality technical support; and 5) applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-reliance, participation, and collaboration. Digital Inclusion must evolve as technology advances, requiring intentional strategies and investments to reduce and eliminate access and usage barriers to technology.

A lack of digital readiness and literacy poses lifelong consequences for Tennesseans across education levels, race, age, and socioeconomic levels. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified this reality, increasing the “digital divide” between those who have internet access and those who do not, but also the ability to access critical physical and mental health resources. Although recent progress has been made, there is still a lot of work to achieve digital equity and support digital inclusion at the state and local levels.