Toronto Public Library lending out free home Wi-Fi as part of pilot program
Posted June 15, 2016 1:12 pm.
Last Updated June 15, 2016 1:21 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Many forgo the stacks of dusty tomes and head straight to the computer terminals when they visit the public library. For low-income families, those computers are often their only lifeline to the burgeoning digital world that’s become such a crucial part of modern life.
But now, thanks to Google Canada and the Toronto Public Library, you can take the Internet home with you.
Mayor John Tory was at the Toronto Public Library’s Thorncliffe Branch on Wednesday for the launch of a pilot program that will allow 210 people to borrow a Wi-Fi hotspot at six branches.
The hotspots can be borrowed for up to six months at a time, offering 10GB of data per month.
Mayor John Tory applauded the initiative, saying it opens a world of opportunity to the very people who need a hand.
“The program will give our vulnerable residents the opportunity to look for jobs, do homework or use City services,” Tory said.
City Librarian Vickery Bowles added that “Internet access is essential in our digital world.”
“The ultimate aim of this partnership with Google is to give some of the most underserved in our city a way to bridge the tech divide.”
The following branches are taking part in the program:
- Albion
- Cedarbrae
- Evelyn Gregory
- Parliament Street
- Thorncliffe
- York Woods
The Wi-Fi program, which will be evaluated after a year, isn’t the only way Toronto Public Library is embracing technology and modernization.
Numerous e-lending options are available, and you can even rent a musical instrument at the Parkdale Branch.
