BDUK Hubs evaluation: connectivity outcomes in libraries
An evaluation of BDUK's Hub intervention, examining its impact on connecting libraries to gigabit broadband.
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Building Digital UK (BDUK) commissioned Belmana and GC Insight to carry out an economic evaluation of its Hub intervention, delivered through the Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) Programme and Project Gigabit.
The Hub intervention funded the connection of remote public buildings, such as schools, GP surgeries and libraries, to gigabit-capable broadband.
The report evaluates the impact of this support on rural libraries, using evidence from a survey of 26 libraries and depth interviews with library staff, volunteers and local authority officers in Derbyshire, Dorset, Greater Manchester, Oxfordshire, Yorkshire and the Midlands. It identifies evidence that improved connectivity has affected service delivery, staffing and public access to digital services, as well as enabling greater use of new activities and technologies.
The report also explores the wider role of libraries in reducing the digital divide, as libraries frequently act as key sites of digital inclusion. While progress has been achieved through GigaHubs, the findings also highlight ongoing challenges to fully realising the benefits of reliable high-speed broadband in libraries.