The digital divide—an issue often talked about yet still palpably present in our communities—is being addressed head-on locally by the Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL), which recently unveiled a Chromebook lending initiative at the Brooklyn Park branch.
Enabled by funding worth $50,000 from T-Mobile for Government, Wellpoint Maryland, and the Library Foundation, the program allows patrons to check out Chromebook kits. Each kit comes equipped with a Wi-Fi hotspot for a generous duration of 12 weeks—a leap from the previously shorter lending times.
As per WBALTV coverage, Grace Planalp benefitted as the first borrower under this scheme, expressing that the Chromebook is "very important" to her for maintaining connections, as internet installation at her residence is not feasible. Planalp and her partner, who are both octogenarians, find the Chromebooks to be crucial for their communication needs.
Setting this program in motion was an understanding of the necessity of technological access in modern life. As Skip Auld, CEO of the AACPL, stated in an interview, as reported by CBS Baltimore, "Access to technology is really not a luxury." This further acknowledges Anne Arundel County's recognition of technology's critical role in societal participation.
Illustrating the pressing need for such a program, statistics show a considerable waitlist for the Chromebooks and hotspots, which began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020—the Chromebooks, which were initially offered for a limited seven-day borrowing period, and hotspots have been in high demand, with the library reporting over 300 Chromebook and 470 hotspot checkouts within the last six months.
