Digital Divide: North Carolina: The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is Giving Away 20,000 Free, Refurbished Laptops

From The News and Observer:

 The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is distributing 20,000 free, refurbished laptops to eligible adults in Mecklenburg County starting this week. The effort is part of the library system’s MeckTech program, which works to decrease the number of households in Charlotte without computers and access to online resources.

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“We hope to serve as many members of our community as possible, but we have limited supply and unfortunately cannot guarantee that we will be able to fulfill all needs,” the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library said in a statement.

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More From the Program’s Website:

Through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will be issuing 20,000 refurbished laptops to eligible adults in Mecklenburg County. Each laptop is free and includes a preloaded productivity and education applications as well as all necessary hardware needed for set-up.

These computers use a Linux operating system with open–source software compatible with many Windows programs (ex: LibreOffice can read, create, and edit Microsoft Office documents). However, some programs that are proprietary to a Windows environment may not have a Linux equivalent. Internet service is not included, although all laptops will have the ability to connect to WiFi. Per ECF requirements, these devices have on-device internet filtration software to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

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Filed under: Libraries, News, Productivity