[Libs-Or] Rural Broadband Initiative

[Rita Squires]

(sending the following on behalf of our director)


Good afternoon,

Today, the Wasco County Library Service District joined Connect Americans Now<https://connectamericansnow.com/>, a new coalition that is forming to eliminate the digital divide. The organization is supported by Microsoft<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmsblob.blob.core.windows.net%2Fncmedia%2F2017%2F07%2FRural-Broadband-Strategy-Microsoft-Whitepaper-FINAL-7-10-17.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Cmikemcm%40microsoft.com%7Cc77c33fcab664e7d26cf08d51a20f360%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C1%7C636443651187119655&sdata=sKguGuz2SJ0e%2BhBFO85D9oKnS5BRhid7e7r1V1siGas%3D&reserved=0> and other leaders including the Schools Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and the National Rural Education Association

We hope OLA will join the coalition with us. There are communities who are served by the Wasco County Library Service District, such as Dufur and Maupin, Oregon, who have incredibly spotty or unreliable internet access. In an age where so much of our communication happens digitally, it is essential that we address the shortage of adequate broadband for anchor institutions and their communities.

Please reach out to Laura Hanson (lhanson at hilltoppublicsolutions.com<mailto:lhanson at hilltoppublicsolutions.com> or 503-984-3275) if you have any questions, or if you would like to join the coalition alongside us. I sincerely encourage you to join.

Jeff Wavrunek
District Librarian
Wasco County Library Service District
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