About This Project
This page is part of a larger project focusing on how the Juneau Public Library, in Juneau, Alaska, provides digital literacy services to its community. This project is conducted as part of the course requirements of CIS 650 (Applying Diversity Leadership Theories & Praxis) course in Spring 2025. This project was developed with input from Juneau Public Library's Outreach Coordinator.
Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska
Environment and Setting
Juneau Public Library is in Juneau, Alaska, on the southern panhandle along the Gastineau Channel. It is the state capital and home to 32,255 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Juneau is unique in that no roads connect it to mainland Alaska, making it accessible only by plane or boat. Juneau is the social center of the descendants of three indigenous cultures: the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of Southeast Alaska, who have rich culture and artistic traditions expressed in carvings, weaving, singing, dancing, and oral tradition (Wikipedia, n.d.). It is home to the Juneau Ice Field from which the Mendenhall (shown in the video above) and Lemon glaciers flow. Juneau is 3,255 square miles and the only state capital sitting on an international border (with Canada). Juneau is breathtakingly beautiful and a destination location hosting 700 cruise ship calls in 2024, bringing 1.7 million people and 36,000 crew members to the island (McKinley Research Group, 2023).
Community and User Profile
Of the 3200 square miles that make up Juneau City and its surrounding borough, 2,716 square miles are land and 538 square miles are water. Because Juneau sits on the Gastineau Channel, it is easily accessible by cruise ships, supporting the growing tourism industry. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2020), the largest population groups in descending order by size are Adults aged 70+ (9.03%, [n=2,849]); adults aged 35 to 39 (9%, [n=2,599]); adults aged 60 to 69 ([8%, [n=2,447); adults aged 40 to 44 (8%, [n=2,398]); adults aged 25 to 29 (8%, [n=2,304); adults aged 30 to 34 (7%, [n=2,238]); adults aged 45 to 49 (7%, [n=2,193]); adults aged 50 to 59 (7%, [n=2,077]). This data shows a relatively even distribution of the adult population by age grouping, given the median age is 39.8. The percentage of the population over 65 is 15.1%, which is the age range on which this research will focus. 48.9% of the population is female and 37% of the population is considered BIPOC with 12% being American Indian or Alaska Native, 7% being Asian, 7% being Hispanic or Latin, and the remainder are Black (1.5%), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (1.3%), and two or more races (9.7%). 40% of Juneau residents have a Bachelor's Degree or higher. The median household income is $100,513, and the employment rate is 67.2%, with 65.4% of the population 16 years or older in the civilian workforce. The major industries are accommodation and food services, health care and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, and retail sales (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). There are 13,138 households in Juneau, with 97.2% having computers and 93.3% having high-speed internet. Geographical circumstances prohibit some households from gaining access to high-speed internet. Given its focus on digital literacy skills, computer and Internet access availability are relevant to this research project.
Agency Profile
Juneau, Alaska, is a community of 32,255 residents who live and work in an area inundated by thousands of cruise ship tourists during the summer months. The city has limited restaurants and services to support the large tourism industry, so the Juneau Public Library (JPL) has become a primary stopping point for tourists needing Internet and computer access. Juneau Public Library consists of three library branches and one museum branch, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum. The main library and museum are in the downtown historic district, and the two remaining branch libraries are in the outer community areas of Douglas and Mendenhall Valley. The three library branches total 45,000 square feet, with the Mendenhall branch being the largest at 20,000 square feet. The main library is 17,000 square feet, and the Douglas branch is 8,000 square feet. The Juneau Public Library has a physical collection of 121,939 items, 32,068 ebooks, 502,699 audiobooks, and 53,389 video downloads. JPL has 17,609 registered users and sees approximately 140,000 visitors each year. The library provides approximately 214 programs annually (65 children's programs, 15 YA programs, 115 adult programs, and 19 general interest programs), with these programs attended by an average of 4,600 people annually. The number of adults attending programs at the library averages around 940 people. The library circulates 211,800 items per year, with 176,663 being physical items and 33,139 being electronic items. The use of other e-content resources is approximately 104,500 items per year. The library is staffed by 27.2 FTE, with 4.8 being MLS degree librarians. The library has 33 internet accessible computers across the three branches, provides access to 30,500 wireless sessions each year, and has 94.151 visits to its website annually. This data was obtained from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and reflects the data for the Juneau Public Library for the 2022 fiscal year. The library began offering technology classes this past February to gauge adult interest in technology training. This technology training was focused on "how-to" use of online library resources. The JPL does not have a computer lab in any of its buildings. Given the library's staffing numbers, Internet access computer configuration, and the library's operating hours, the only time technology training can be held is on Friday mornings before the library opens to the public, which is before 10:00 am. The total number of participants that can be accommodated is 30, with classes being taught in a meeting room and then participants going out to the Internet computers to practice (M. Sandkam, Personal Communication, January 8, 2025).
References
City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska. (2021-2025). Retrieved March 2, 2025. https://juneau.org/
Institute of Museum and Library Services. (2022). Juneau Public Library. Accessed on March 2, 2025. https://www.imls.gov/search-compare
McKinley Research Group. (2023). Economic Impact of Juneau's Cruise Industry. Retrieved March 2, 2025. https://juneau.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CBJ-Cruise-Impacts-2023-Report-1.22.24.pdf
U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Juneau, Alaska. Retrieved March 2, 2025. https://data.census.gov/profile/Juneau_city_and_borough._Alaska
Wikipedia (n.d) Juneau, Alaska. Retrieved March 2, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneau,_Alaska