Solutions: Inclusion - Public Computers

Expand Public Computer Access

GOAL: Increase the availability and number of internet-enabled public computers across the community.

DESCRIPTION: Internet-enabled public computers offer those without the availability or ability to connect to the internet at home with access to technology and online resources.

This project seeks to expand the availability of existing public computer centers and identify opportunities to provide additional work stations at points accessible to vulnerable populations.

ACTIONS:

Gather partners: libraries, community centers, and senior centers are often thought of as the primary hosts of public computer centers. Other opportunities may exist with religious facilities, local government offices, or the offices of various social service providers.

Inventory: working with the gathered partners, identify the number of centers and public computers available. This technology action plan provides a summary of public computers available in the community already, but there may be others.

Explore the gaps: following the inventory, the team may be able to identify gaps in the community's public computers. These gaps could appear geographically or among various demographic groups. Partnering organizations may also have institutional knowledge of groups impacted by a lack of public computer access.

Develop a plan: once the gaps are identified, the team should develop a plan to improve the availability of public computers in the community. A plan of action should include not only the development of new public computer centers and the installation of additional equipment within existing facilities, but also the expansion (where possible) of access to existing facilities (e.g., longer hours at the library, centers open on the weekends, etc.).

Seek funding: some national organizations may fund public computer centers or technology. Local community foundations may also be a good source.

RESPONSIBLE PARTIES:

Libraries; Schools; Community and senior centers; Non-profit organizations; Social service providers and agencies

RESOURCES:

Personal walk-through on the set-up of a new public computer center: http://bit.ly/2dDFp3Z.