Harris County Public Library will distribute 55,000 devices to tackle digital divide

Estefani Dávila goes to the Harris County Public Library in Aldine twice a week with her nine-year-old daughter, Areli Reyes, both of them to study and do their homework. On those days, Dávila goes after her work as a nanny to get contiguous computer seats at the library, so she can supervise the girl’s 4th-grade homework while she studies at an online college program from Mexico. Her husband, who works in construction, joins them sometimes to do paperwork and “learn things,” he said. The family is among roughly 600,000 households in Harris County without internet connectivity, according to census data, something a new program from the county library system this month is beginning to tackle.

The Harris County Public Library launched a campaign Wednesday that will distribute 55,000 devices to residents in the greater Houston area who need online access. The library’s “Internet Connect Campaign” will provide 40,000 wi-fi hotspots, which are mobile devices similar to modems that allow computers and other gadgets to connect to the internet. The campaign will also distribute 15,000 Chromebook laptops, all financed by a $30 million federal grant from the Emergency Connectivity Fund included in the American Rescue Plan designed to close the digital divide. “By providing adequate access to connectivity and technology, we are helping to improve the quality of life and strengthen our community in keeping with our mission of being a pathway to knowledge," said Edward Melton, executive director of the county library system. The Reyes family was among a few dozen residents from Aldine that were in line outside the library waiting for their turn to check out hotspots. “It's going to be a tremendous help for us,” said Dávila “We can study anytime from home now.”