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The Stanly County Library has secured a $200,000 digital equity and inclusion grant from the NC Department of Information Technology, Broadband Office.
The $200,000 grant is part of a $14 million statewide grant initiative that seeks to do the following:
• Develop or expand digital equity programming and address at least one of the following elements of digital inclusion:
• Affordable, reliable high-speed internet; Provision of Internet-enabled devices (computer, laptops, etc.) that meet users’ needs; Provide access to digital literacy and skills training; Provide quality technical support; and Creation of applications and online content designed to enable and encourage sufficiency, participation and collaboration.
The county’s library system applied for $244,000 grant that included digital navigators to help individuals learn to use digital tools such as the internet, online applications, etc., hotspot data to increase Internet availability as well as digital devices to enhance access. There is no financial match required for the grant.
The library will focus the available grant funds on digital navigators to improve digital literacy and skills, as well as hotspot data to enhance affordable, high-speed Internet access.