Libraries and the US National Research and Education Network
Libraries operate as part of the technological infrastructure that supports the National Research and Education Network (NREN), acting as an electronic safety net for the American public to guarantee basic access to electronic information. Public libraries are in particular capable to take on this role, as they already serve such a role in a print-based society.
Source: Wikipedia — Libraries and the US National Research and Education Network (CC BY-SA 4.0)