Illinois State University and Heartland Community College collaboration helps connect Central Illinois Residents with digital literacy and access

• Campus News | Report

• AuthorBy University Staff
• October 4, 2024

Future phases will see updates to wireless access on the Quad, as well as additional academic and administrative building spaces.

As Digital Inclusion Week (DIW) begins on Monday, October 7, Illinois State University and Heartland Community College (HCC) are proud to announce the second year of community training sessions aimed at connecting residents of 10 Central Illinois counties in the North Central Economic Region with digital education and access to broadband networks. (DIW) is an annual week of awareness, recognition, and celebration of digital equity taking place through October 11. In 2020, Connect Illinois estimated that 1.1 million Illinois households lacked computing devices, representing an often-overlooked aspect of the digital divide.

"Equitable digital access is a critical issue helping individuals thrive and our economy succeed and grow. By working on this initiative, Illinois State and Heartland are living our public purpose as institutions of higher education," said Dr. Harriett Steinbach, director of innovation and strategic partnerships at Illinois State University. "We continue to explore ways for more community members to have the opportunity to master the skills they need to fully participate, work, and learn in our digital world."

Staff from both institutions have previously provided training opportunities for the Northstar Digital Navigator, a tool that guides subscribing organizations through the process of providing digital skills training to residents. The new initiative, led by Illinois State, is now expanding in FY25 to offer access and training to all area public library staff within the 10-county region, as well as a new 2024 Library Digital Equity Grant opportunity. The grant application is anticipated to open mid to late October and will provide approved public libraries in the region up to $5,000 to benefit from:

• devices (laptops, hotspots, etc.) to be distributed to community members

• community trainings on digital skills

• staff time to support individuals in 1:1 trainings

Funded through a Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption + Digital Equity (READY) grant, the work by Illinois State and Heartland began in 2023 as a collaborative effort through the Illinois Office of Broadband and the Illinois Innovation Network. The initiative aims to drive regional collaboration that drives digital equity for residents. Residents seeking digital education and access in DeWitt, Fulton, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford counties should visit their local public library for more information. Libraries interested in more information about the grant should contact Harriett Steinbach at [email protected].