O’Neill Public Library Awarded PLA and Microsoft Public WiFi Access Micro Grant

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The Public Library Association (PLA) and Microsoft Corp. has been working together to increase access to technology in rural communities, during the COVID-19 crisis. In April 2020, Microsoft provided $120,000 to help public libraries in rural communities with hardware and support to install public WiFi access points on or near library grounds.

Libraries have been and continue to be essential to the nation’s digital safety net, connecting communities to the internet and teaching computer skills. The American Library Association (ALA) has recommended that libraries can and should leave their WiFi networks on even when their buildings are closed wherever possible. On March 25, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a public notice confirming community use of E-rate supported WiFi networks.

In PLA’s COVID-19 survey of public libraries, over 80% of respondents report they leave on their public WiFi access when the library building is closed, and 12% have added or expanded this service since the COVID-19 crisis began. About 36% of respondents have located WiFi access points outside the building, and 8% are trying to expand that service. Through this opportunity, PLA and Microsoft hoped to accelerate the ability of libraries, particularly those in underserved areas, to locate WiFi access points outside the library.

While these new access points will help rural libraries increase access to the internet, they recognized that health and well-being are paramount during the crisis. They advise that libraries and their patrons continue to follow any applicable local, state, and federal health and safety guidelines, including those regarding sheltering in place and social distancing.

The O’Neill Public Library would like to announce that we were eligible for this grant. We applied and our application was approved. Once the equipment has been delivered and is installed, our WiFi signal will expand beyond the library’s parking lot 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. We will also let everyone know when it is up and running.

The O’Neill Public Library would like to thank the American Library Association and Microsoft for this generous gift to our community.