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Internet to Go Lending Program Launches in February  Pilot program allows residents to check out Wi-Fi Hotspots and tablets for up to three weeks at a time beginning in three neighborhood branches. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Brian Bannon announced that the “Internet to Go” hotspot lending pilot program will begin in three CPL locations next month: Brighton Park, Greater Grand Crossing, and Douglass branches. In partnership with the Chicago Public Library Foundation, this program was jumpstarted by a $400,000 grant from the Knight Foundation. Google also contributed $175,000 in key funding to help support the initiative. Residents in these communities will be able to borrow Wi-Fi hotspots for up to three weeks at a time. The new technology lending program will also give library patrons the ability to borrow a laptop or mobile device from the library in order to connect to the internet from home or on the go; the three pilot locations will each have up to 10 tablets available. Once tested, the pilot will expand to at least three additional communities. “The importance of Internet access and digital literacy skills in today’s economy is clear,” said CPL Commissioner Bannon. “We are committed to working with public and private entities to bridge the digital divide throughout the city.” This is the second major tech lending initiative at CPL supported by Google. In April 2014, Google donated 500 Finch Robots for circulation to help kids as young as 8 years old learn computer coding. CPL also supports digital literacy and skill development by providing in-library experts, called CyberNavigators, who help Chicagoans through nearly 100,000 computer tutoring sessions per year. CyberNavigators are available at Douglass, Brighton Park and Greater Grand Crossing branches to complement the “Internet to Go” program by providing digital skills training. The CyberNavigator program is funded with donations to the Chicago Public Library Foundation. |
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