Montclair Library Offers Patrons Free Internet WiFi Devices

Montclair, NJ – The Montclair Public Library now has a new item that is sure to make it a “hotspot.”

The library recently announced that it will be loaning free WiFi hotspot devices to low-income community members with valid library cards as part of an ongoing partnership with Montclair Kids First (MKF) and JerseyOn, a statewide non-profit focused on connecting low-income students and their families to the Internet.

• See related article: Montclair Group Offers Free Internet For Students

“There are many children in Montclair that cannot access the Internet from their home, the monthly bill is just too high for a family trying to make ends meet,” said Matthew Frankel, a member of MKF. “Together, with the leadership of the library, we are breaking down the walls of inequality and addressing the town’s achievement gap.”

According to a library news release, the device will provide 3GBs of free monthly data service on Sprint’s 4GLTE network. If the borrower exceeds the allotted data for the month, the service will throttle down to a slower speed then reset at the beginning of the next month. The device is restricted to educational use and anything deemed inappropriate for children is blocked.

Devices will be checked out for three-month loan periods.

For more information about the library’s hotspot loan program or to reserve a device, contact John Daquino, Information Specialist, at (973) 744-0500, ext. 2267 or reference@montclair.bccls.org.

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