Cinnaminson Library Can Offer Wi-Fi For Those In Need With Grant

CINNAMINSON, NJ — The Burlington County Library System, which includes a branch in Cinnaminson, has been awarded a $45,103 grant that will fund a library hotspot and device lending program to help close the digital divide and provide technology access to the county’s disadvantaged population hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic, county officials announced.

Out of more than 1,700 applications that were submitted, the library’s application was one of 68 that were selected to share in $13.8 million in CARES Act Grants for Museum and Libraries funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The library will be able to use the grant to work with other county agencies and local nonprofit organizations to provide Internet access and technology to those who have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, they will buy tablets and accessories and enter into a one-year service plan for hotspots.

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“Since the start of the pandemic every part of Burlington County’s government — from our Health, Public Safety and Human Services departments to the Burlington County Library System — has gone above and beyond to try to help our residents through this crisis. This grant award reflects that commitment,” Burlington County Deputy Director Tom Pullion, liaison to the Burlington County Library System, said.

The library closed its branches, including the Cinnaminson branch, in March to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It reopened at the end of September with limited capacity, but its closure brought attention to the digital divide in the county. Read more here: Cinnaminson Library Reopens With Limited Capacity

“The closing of libraries due to the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the digital literacy divide in rural Burlington County, which has a large number of households without computers or internet access,” Burlington County Library Ranjna Das said. “With our partners, we will conduct outreach, promote the library lending program and inform the public about the availability of hotspots and devices for borrowing. We also plan to create simple tutorials to meet the digital literacy needs of our economically distressed populations.”

According to the United States Census Bureau, more than 21,000 households in Burlington County do not have internet access and more than 13,000 households do not have computers. In many areas of Burlington County, anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of residents are without the means to access basic technology.

There are significant socioeconomic impacts of having a high number of households without access to the internet that has become a necessity for work, social interaction, benefits access, household financial management, education, and leisure.

The library made hotspots available for those in need early on in the pandemic when it set up hotspots in library parking lots, including Cinnaminson. Read more here: Internet Access Boosted In Cinnaminson Library Parking Lot

With this grant, the library will be able to make hotspots available for residents who need them the most, including Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program participants, those with limited English proficiency, people with disabilities, and the homeless.

The Burlington County Health Department and the Department of Human Services will help the library promote the program. Other partners will include local services organization that work with disadvantaged populations, such as Oaks Integrated Care and Servicios Latinos de Burlington County.

All the library’s digital resources will now also be available at home as part of the program. This includes 60 online databases focusing on history, health, careers, business and more; ESL and foreign language lessons from Rosetta Stone; streaming video via Kanopy; access to thousands of research and homework resources; as well as a digital collection with more than15,000 ebooks and audiobooks.

"As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services, and collections,” IMLS Director Crosby Kemper said. "These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow. IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities."