Hennepin County, Minnesota, libraries tackle tech disparities

Countless people come to Minneapolis (MN) Central Library to check out a book, surf the web or even escape the hot summer air. Library staff is nearby – waiting to serve you in any way possible so you can leave with your needs met, even if those needs take a little longer to figure out. Hennepin County (MN) employees like Crystal Hunter-Porte have been learning about the problems impacting the people who walk through the doors. Some days it's the heat, but other days, it's access to the internet. Library leaders say between a quarter and a third of households in Hennepin County don't have access to home broadband. Hunter-Porte and her team have been helping fix that problem through the Digital Navigation Program. It's a new service at Hennepin County Libraries that connects people to internet resources. Hennepin County residents who don't have internet access can come to any of the county's 41 libraries and submit an internet request form. That form goes directly to digital navigators who will meet one-on-one with you and help with your technology needs.