Maricopa County libraries to offer WiFi hotspots, laptops for checkout

PHOENIX - Starting Feb. 22, the public can check out a WiFi hotspot or Chromebook from all 18 Maricopa County libraries.

"We've increased our electronic resources drastically," says Jeremy Reeder with the Maricopa County Library District.

Reeder says that the pandemic showed the need to increase these types of services as more kids began learning from home, but were lacking the ability to get online easily.

"We have an issue with hardware and connections," said Reeder. "If the school is providing the hardware, they're not able to provide the connections, so that was the logic for bringing on board the hotspots and the Chromebooks."

Thanks to the CARES Act, the library district was able to purchase the new equipment. The laptops and hotspots are available to any resident with a Maricopa County District Library card.

"You will have to come into one our branches, have a brief one-on-one with our staff -- and then you're off and running," said Reeder.

The program may be promising in bringing more technology to the community.

"It's really going to really boost the community as a whole as we remove one more barrier for access," he said.

Visit their website: https://mcldaz.org/