The Development, Current State, and Effects of Community Informatization in Mainland China

LIBRARY TRENDS, Vol. 62, No. 1, 2013 (“Community Informatics in China,” edited by Kate Williams), pp. 13–33. © 2013 The Board of Trustees, University of Illinois Abstract In recent years, community informatization initiatives have developed throughout mainland China. The meaning of “community informatization” in China is similar to “community informatics” in the U.S. This paper aims to investigate the current state of community informatization in mainland China—with a focus on best practices, major challenges, patterns of development, developing trends, and effects. Comparing the theory and practice of China’s community informatization to community informatics in other countries, especially in the U.S. and Europe, this paper asks: can government-sponsored or independent informatization efforts bridge the digital divide and help China realize digital—or information—equity?