The State Library of Iowa announced it has joined Edge, a tool developed by Washington, D.C.-based Urban Libraries Council to help libraries assess their technology, communicate its impact and plan for the future. Edge is based on 11 national benchmarks that gauge community value, stakeholder engagement and organizational management. Through the state library’s subscription, all 544 of Iowa’s public library systems will have free access to Edge. “The State Library of Iowa is working to make sure that all people — regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status — have access to technology to succeed in school, employment searches and the workforce,” said Urban Libraries Council President and CEO Susan Benton. “Iowa’s libraries change the lives of people who wouldn’t otherwise have the basic tools to succeed.”