Wi-Fi Hot Spot Lending Program Scrapped
Federal funding for Wi-Fi access in rural and urban communities has been cut, leaving libraries to find alternatives.
The Brown County Public Library in rural Ohio had a successful program, lending out 60 portable Wi-Fi hot spots over 1,300 times a year.
“We’re some of the ‘last-mile people,’” says Lynn Harden, executive director of Brown County Public Library. “It’s not a matter of, ‘Can you choose something affordable to you?’ There's no option. People are desperate to have these.
Patrons used the hot spots for various purposes, including online school portals, telehealth appointments, and job interviews.
Summary: Libraries scramble after federal funding cut for Wi-Fi hot spot lending program.