community-nets.html

Community Networking

See the new page http://www.cpsr.org/program/community-nets/cnwg/cnwg.htm

Former Community Networking Home Page

Read about the CPSR newsletter and Building Online Communities.

Be sure to visit the Community Space and Cyberspace Proceedings.

In all of CPSR's work around the National Information Infrastructure, one of the central principles has been that there needs to be universal public access to the growing communications infrastructure. One of the best mechanisms for achieving that access is through community networks. CPSR has been active in the community networking movement, particularly in the Seattle chapter, which developed and maintains the Seattle Community Network (SCN).

For more information on CPSR's work in community networking, please see the following:

CPSR Factsheet: Seattle Community Network
Seattle Community Network
Survey on community networks - This page describes the ongoing results of a community network survey developed by CPSR Chair Douglas Schuler to serve as a "community memory" for community network developers.

Community Networks

RITNet, Portland, OR
Aurora Online Community Network, Illinois
Community Information Network, Australia
Boulder Community Network, Boulder, CO
Gadsden County Network, Gadsden, FL
Seattle Community Network, Seattle, WA
Silicon Valley Public Access Link, South Bay, CA
Gopher listing of other community networks

Papers

"Community computer networks: building electronic greenbelts" by Steve Cisler, Apple Computing
"Building local civic nets" by Steve Cisler, Apple Computing
"Computer telecommunications as used by nonprofit advocacy organizations" by Paul Hyland
"What are Communities Doing On-Line?" by Alaina Kanfer, Ph.D, NCSA
"Creating Public Space in Cyberspace -- The Rise of the New Community Networks" by Doug Schuler
"How to Kill Community Networks Hint: We May Have Already Started..." by Doug Schuler

Other resources

Mailing lists - If you are even remotely interested in civic, local, or rural computing issues, organizations, activities, networks, libraries, schools, etc., then you will be interested in at least one of the mailing lists noted here.

Outside Links

Community Networks
An on-line guide to community network resources
The Contact Center Network
A non-partisan, nonprofit organization whose aim is to create and support a network of community-based centers that will link, serve, and strengthen individuals and organizations working to build a better world.
The National Public Telecomputing Network
NPTN is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and support community computer systems, often called Free-Nets(R), throughout the U.S. and the world.