New York State Digital Equity Survey - Hudson Valley: Home

Who is this guide for? 

Carolyn Bennett Glauda at Southeastern NY Library Resources Council created this guide for agencies, organizations, and libraries in the Hudson Valley that are able to distribute this survey to their community. Please use this guide as a reference to share with other partners so you have what you need to convey the information to the general public. 

For resources including boilerplate newsletters, press releases, social media announcements as well as further information about the state's digital equity plan, see the "resources" tab on this guide. 

We are looking to partner agencies to help distribute the survey to targeted audiences. As a partner, we are asking you to do one or more of the following: 

• Distribute the survey link via newsletters, social media, direct email, and websites
• Distribute and collect paper copies of the survey to community members without internet access
• Host survey-taking parties (we have funding for food & office supplies) to help survey respondents in real time.
• Set up a dedicated computer kiosk in your location.
• Share this information with your networks.

New York State’s ConnectALL Office wants to hear from New Yorkers about their experiences with getting and using internet service. Their input will help the State make sure that everyone can have access to high-quality and affordable internet service, devices, skills training, and digital support. 

This digital survey is available in 12 languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Simplified), French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Yiddish. Respondents can select the language of their choice from the top-right corner of the survey page. 
 
All questions are optional, unless otherwise noted with an asterisk (*). You may skip all optional questions. You can exit the survey at any point and return to the same page where you left by coming back to their website. The survey is completely anonymous – they collect demographic information (e.g., race/ethnic background, age, household income level) so that they can make sure they are representing all neighborhoods and demographic groups, but they will NOT be collecting any personally identifiable information (e.g., name, email, address). 

Thank you for your time and participation. Information you share here will help us develop the New York State Digital Equity Plan and ensure equitable internet access for all.

Providing Equitable Internet Access for All New Yorkers

In each of the State's 10 regions, ConnectALL is hearing about what's working to close the digital divide and improve the well-being of marginalized populations by partnering with:

• Non-profit organizations serving marginalized New Yorkers
• Local and county government leaders
• Libraries
• Regional planning and economic development organizations
• Internet service providers
• Educational institutions
• Workforce development organizations

ConnectALL (CAO) has released this statewide Digital Equity Survey to understand barriers and challenges to internet access and digital equity faced generally and by Covered Populations throughout New York State. CAO has launched the online Digital Equity Survey, and will conduct a statewide outreach and promotion campaign to encourage survey responses. They are also looking to Regional Partners (that's you!) for region-specific support in distributing the link to the survey and conducting further outreach efforts in their respective regions – especially to ensure representative responses from Covered Populations. 

Recognizing that online surveys are inaccessible or challenging for some communities, CAO will rely on regional partners to collect responses via offline methods, which may include in-person engagement, phone outreach, and more. Regional Partners’ submitted Survey Distribution Plan will help CAO understand each partner’s planned approach to reaching Covered Population respondents within their respective regions. 

This information will help inform the State's plans to use BEAD funding, Digital Equity Act funding, and/or other funding streams in concert to remedy inequities and barriers to inclusion.

Please note that focus groups will also supplement the Digital Equity Survey, especially for those who may not be reached at all by survey efforts. (See details about those scheduled focus groups at the bottom of the second column of the "resources" tab of this guide.)

Mid May – Launch of statewide digital equity survey
Mid May-early June – Hold Regional focus groups
June 30 – Close of statewide digital equity survey; deadline for meeting regional survey response targets