The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), the state organization in charge of ensuring residents have internet access, has rolled out the second phase of "Connected and Online" — a program that distributes internet enabled devices, like laptops and tablets, to community organizations across the state, including school districts, public libraries, and senior centers.
The device rollout was designed to accommodate one of the most common barriers to internet access in Massachusetts.
“We canvassed the whole state to really understand where the gaps and where the needs are in communities across the 351 municipalities," said Jody Jones, program executive at MBI.
"In that community engagement, we learned that access to devices was a barrier to a lot of people being able to access the internet.”
The program looks at three key pillars when evaluating a potential device recipient: workforce training, telehealth capabilities, or expanding educational access.
“We also want to make sure that the devices, once they go to the organizations, have a good plan for their use, for public use," Jones said. "We evaluate how the organization’s planning to use the devices and what their programming is once they have the devices on-site."
Many organizations that have received the devices have already seen their impact. One such organization is Forbes Library in Northampton.
“We’re finding that the more devices, and the more variety of devices that we have, the better, and especially if they can be offered for free, with free internet service in a space where people feel comfortable using them, like the public library,” said Priya Charry, the library’s head of Adult Services. “It seems like a win-win-win for all of us.”
Forbes received 25 Chromebooks and 3 Dell Laptops, which Charry says will help local residents with various important tasks that have moved online in recent years, including everything from resume building to filing taxes to accessing online telehealth services.
“Because of our reputation being a place where people can come ask those questions in a nonjudgmental, safe, comfortable space, where we don’t ask too many questions, this feels like a very natural space to be able to provide the tools —in this case, a chromebook or a laptop — for people to feel empowered to answer those questions themselves, or learn the skills they might need, or ask someone for help to learn those skills,” Charry said.
In an age where technology is quick to change and develop, both Jones and Charry recognize the importance of having easy access to the internet.
“Digital technology is just so prevalent in our daily lives, but especially as types of technologies change and different core life services become technology dependent,” said Charry. “All those core parts of being an adult in the modern world become based in the digital world, and folks get left behind.”
Although the device rollout has occurred recently and many organizations are still ironing out the kinks of their individual use plans, MBI is optimistic about their results.
“There’s really tangible benefits that the communities are getting, and the organizations are already seeing a demand for access as soon as these devices are put into use,” said Jones. “We’re getting a lot of great impact stories.”
Charry shares similar optimism surrounding the future of the devices’ use at Forbes.
“The more people who are able to explore new forms of technology and feel empowered to accomplish their own goals themselves, the healthier a community we’ll have. And the library will always be here along the way,” Cherry said.
