Libraries and Schools Are Bridging the Digital Divide During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Stay-at-home policies have made the web critical for tasks such as schoolwork, applying for unemployment benefits, and consulting with doctors. But millions of Americans lack reliable broadband access. Libraries, schools, and businesses are taking creative steps to expand Wi-Fi networks in underserved neighborhoods. These measures are effective but temporary, and can't serve everyone in need of internet access, advocates say.  "One of the many things we have quickly learned as millions of Americans have shifted to working, providing childcare, and learning from home is the absolute necessity of a reliable internet connection," says Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel at Consumers Reports.