Marylanders Online: A Year in Review

Marylanders Online, a state-funded digital literacy initiative led by the University of Maryland Extension (UME) in partnership with the College of Information, entered its third year in 2024. Leading several of the state’s digital literacy efforts, Marylanders Online focused the year on resource curation, grassroots community engagement, and capacity-building. These efforts, added to the program’s expanding portfolio of digital classes and programs, have made 2024 a year of notable growth and achievements for Marylanders Online. Key achievements in 2024 include reaching 14,134 individuals through 224 digital skills classes and 177 community events, training 211 digital navigators, and cultivating a robust network of 181 partners in digital equity. These strategic collaborations have enabled the program to effectively reach underserved communities, most notably immigrant and disabled populations, and limited-English language, rural, and low-income populations. The program's dedicated tech support helpline handled 18,159 calls, providing essential tech support and bilingual assistance to 9 percent of callers, further demonstrating Maryland’s commitment to digital inclusivity. The program has successfully adapted programming, services, and targeted outreach to meet the unique needs of diverse communities across Maryland.