In May, President Donald Trump announced on social media that he was ending the Digital Equity Act, a federal program created under President Biden to help underserved communities improve their digital skills.

Connecticut was supposed to receive over $20 million from this program to fund digital skills training, improve access to internet-connected devices, and create resources for veterans, seniors, low-income families, and rural communities. That money is gone, and many local programs are forced to shut down or change their plans.

The Digital Equity Act, part of a larger federal infrastructure bill, aimed to help people get internet access and learn how to use it.

Public service director at the Hartford Public Library, Benny Solberg, explains, “Digital navigators were hired to provide the community with assistance on using the computer or using any other electronic device inside their phone, or if they have a tablet.”

She said library staff help people with the computers every day, but they also have other responsibilities and they can only give a limited amount of help.

“Digital equity relates to the understanding that there’s a digital divide,” Solberg said. “There are people who have computers or laptops accessible to them, but there are many people who do not, so they don’t have the opportunity to gain proficiency in using computers and technology. And so we want to provide opportunities to assist people, because I think of all the things that on a regular basis I do through a computer, and for people to lack the skills to be able to do that for themselves, we want to make sure that they have the opportunity to learn so that they can access resources as easily as possible and to meet that need for them.”

“It’s a tremendous need. And the library is all about connecting people with resources and information, and so the digital divide and the need for digital skills growth are part of that need. And the library recognizes their role in that and wants to play an important part in helping our customers with that,” she said.

Anyway, she does not give in to despair.

“It was disheartening to lose the funds, but it’s not something that is going to go away because the need hasn’t gone away. So, we’re going to find creative ways to continue to meet those needs for people,” she said.

State librarian Deborah Shander said the administration didn’t give a reason for the cuts; they said it simply doesn’t meet the aims of the administration. She said it’s heartbreaking to see the funds going away.

“One of the things that Connecticut has learned is it’s not just about people having access to the internet, but it’s about people feeling comfortable with the technology that they are using,” Shander said. “In order to really feel like they are fully engaged in the digital environment. Libraries have been a leader in this type of activity for a long time, and so it really is devastating to see these cuts coming down.”

She explains that, unlike a couple of months ago, when Connecticut was one of the three states targeted for cuts to the IMLS funding, this time, there will be cuts across the board.

She said Connecticut will have to find a solution.

“It’s definitely something the state is going to have to think about, while considering all of the other funds that are cut as well. The commission has been raising awareness about this, talking about multiple possibilities for responding to the situation.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is pushing to bring back the funding, calling the cuts harmful and unfair. Library advocates hope that states, including Connecticut, might take legal action or find alternative ways to fund digital literacy programs.

In the meantime, local leaders say they are committed to continuing this work, even without federal support.



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