Building a Movement: Support LWB's US Programs

From refugee camps in Bangladesh to laundromats in Oakland, we seek to provide equal access to information, education, and cultural resources for communities historically subject to systemic discrimination. 

 Thanks to the Libraries Without Borders US community:

Because of your commitment to our work, we have been able to connect scores of families to critical information and education amidst the long-lasting effects of COVID-19. Read on to see how.

Program Updates

ConnectED Technology Kits: Baltimore & San Antonio
Our ConnectED Technology Kit program continues to be a critical resource as families navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. By delivering backpacks replete with a laptop, hotspot, and educational resources directly to the doors of those who need it most, LWB US continues to bridge the digital divide—one kit at a time. Our Baltimore Project Assistant, Imani Spence, and San Antonio Project Assistant, Maeli Gonzalez, are additionally working on a ConnectED Technology Kit Toolkit—a handy guide that will provide any organization with the tips and tricks needed to get their very own ConnectED Tech Kit program off the ground.

Community Hubs in Loíza, Puerto Rico

In the winter of 2020, we learned that over 50% of residents in Loíza, Puerto Rico do not have access to a stable internet connection. Additionally, more than a third were looking for resources related to both mental and physical health. In response to our survey results that yielded this data, we amped up our efforts regarding both digital and health literacy in Loíza.  

With the support of SONY Corporation, we designed a digitally-equipped, socially-distanced learning hub in Sector La 23 y las Gardenias, a notably under-resourced neighborhood of Loíza. In collaboration with our local partner, Link Puerto Rico, we began hosting digital literacy workshops in the learning center, covering topics such as basic computer use and accessing information.

We also established a new partnership with Taller Salud, a feminist public health organization, to conduct health literacy workshops in two new neighborhoods of Loíza.

Manufactured Housing Initiative

The Park Plaza Cooperative is a resident-owned manufactured housing community (MHC) in Fridley, Minnesota and home to our Manufactured Housing Initiative pilot program. 

Over the last few months, LWB US Manufactured Housing Project Coordinator, Ed Hilbrich, worked with Park Plaza’s leadership to successfully launch the Tech Lending Library, a computer lending program at the Park Plaza Cooperative. We also collaborated with the Anoka County Library to kick off a series of virtual programming and story-times, including our most recent Black History Month Meet & Read at Park Plaza Cooperative, bringing together librarians and Park Plaza residents for a safe and informative virtual learning session. 

The Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI)

San Antonio Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI)

This past month, we partnered with an additional laundromat in San Antonio, Laundry Rey’s. We installed a bookshelf with books in both Spanish and English, along with sanitizing materials, for laundromat patrons of all ages. To engage the San Antonio community while adhering to safety guidelines, we will additionally begin outdoor programming in the parking lots of our San Antonio WALI laundromats with our partners, Bibliotech and the San Antonio Public Library.

Baltimore Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI)

Our partner, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, began hosting biweekly outdoor programs at our Baltimore WALI laundromats. The library has hosted four outdoor outreach events in the parking lot of Laundry City—our WALI laundromat in Northwest Baltimore. At these events, dozens of laundromat patrons participated in library programming or inquired about additional library resources. 

Ideas Cube Program in Chihuahua, Mexico

Our Ideas Cube Program in Chihuahua is officially underway. This program seeks to outfit 21 libraries in rural Chihuahua with Ideas Cubes— autonomous and ultra-portable digital libraries that provide users with wireless access to thousands of digital resources. The Ideas Cubes have been shipped and include content from Chihuahua's Ministry of Culture, bolstering our own collection of resources from our international headquarters. 

Community Updates
As 2020 came to a close, we celebrated with the LWB US community at two virtual events: Questions & Cocktails (panel discussion with our team) and Trivia Night. Congrats to our winners, who took home everything from LWB US shirts and stickers to sterling silver earrings and CorePower yoga gift cards. We can’t wait to reunite soon enough at our next event!

We also want to sincerely thank the LWB US community for using their voice and voting for our work in the Mobile Beacon Moments Storytelling Contest. With nearly 1,000 votes, we came in a very close second place. We are grateful for the dedication and commitment of our LWB US family. And congrats to the winner: Dynamic Community Solutions, created by and for the people of Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae (Refuge of Wai’anae).

Stay Updated on the News: 

• Ninety Percent of Public Libraries Offer Electronic Collection Materials

• New Johns Hopkins report details plan for digital equity in Baltimore

• ‘Our education lifeline: U.S. battle over broadband heats up

• New York Public Library StoryLine

Where do we go from here?

For the estimated 40 million people across the United States lacking access to broadband internet, quarantine restrictions and the threat of COVID-19 effectively prevent them from working remotely, attending online school, using telehealth services, and even from searching for job opportunities online.  

The effects of COVID-19 will not disappear overnight, and we need your support to efficiently and sustainably advance the informational, literacy, and digital needs of our constituents.  We are confident that with your continued generosity we can further expand our impact.