LA County Library "Park and Connect" Program

LA COUNTY LIBRARY

County Spending Category
1.4 Digital Divide
Federal Expenditure Category
Household Assistance: Internet Access Programs
Project Launch Date
10/30/2022
Anticipated End Date
12/30/2024

Project Contacts

Indicators & Metrics to Date

  • Number of Families/Households/Residents/Businesses Served
    46
  • Number of Households Served
    46
  • # of Library Locations
    46
  • Hardware Purchases
    150
  • Comprehensive Estimates
    52
  • Site Completion - Closing Documents
    52
  • ISD and Meraki reports for Internet connectivity and Internet sessions
    46
  • # of sessions per library location
    2156872
  • Schedule of Promotional Outreach
    46
  • Access to Free Internet 27/7
    46
  • Access to Free Internet - Library Parking Lots
    46
  • Number of Free Outdoor WiFi Sessions - One Year
    2156872

Target Populations

  • Systems Impacted Individuals
  • Systems Involved Individuals
  • People disadvantaged by the Digital Divide

Project Description

Expansion of the Park & Connect Wi-Fi (Access Points) throughout 46 LA County Library locations. Support of the economic recovery and equity investments priorities by bridging the Digital Divide. In LA County Library’s service area, a high percentage of the population depend on smartphone data plans as opposed to household internet access. Many residents in these areas are people of color. At the break of the COVID 19 Pandemic, videos of community members sitting on sidewalks next to fast food chains or coffee shops to connect to the internet made headlines in both, media, and social media channels. With the closure of all Library Locations during the early phase of the pandemic, our communities were left without access to the on-premises free Wi-Fi access. Moreover, COVID-19 expanded the digital divide more than ever, creating a significant obstacle for our most disadvantaged populations. COVID exacerbated the already existing poor social conditions that disproportionately impacted the health and jobs of minority communities. The library department seeks to increase access to valuable resources by enhancing and supporting free internet access. LA County Library is leveraging the current Gigabit infrastructure at library locations to extend broadband network connectivity to library parking lots. The Library Department realizes that access to resources such as broadband infrastructure is critical for work education, healthcare, and civic participation during a public health emergency.

Goals & Objectives

Goal Description Coordinate project to expand and provide Internet connectivity to 46 community locations.

Objective Description 46 community locations receive Internet connectivity to help close the digital divide.

Activity Description Identify and prioritize the 46 communities targeted for service expansion.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Number of Families/Households/Residents/Businesses Served 46.00 46.00
2 Program Outcome # of Library Locations 46.00 46.00

Activity Description ISD and Library Team will perform site surveys of the 46 Library locations to determine number of access points required.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
2 Program Outcome # of Library Locations 46.00 46.00

Activity Description ISD will prepare estimates and project timeline.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Program Outcome Comprehensive Estimates 49.00 49.00

Outcome Description To increase access to technological resources in communities most impacted by the pandemic and historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected groups. To help bridge the digital divide by ensuring that LA County residents have access to LA County Library free Wi-Fi 24/7.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Access to Free Internet - Library Parking Lots 0.00 46.00
1 Service Delivery Access to Free Internet - Library Parking Lots 0.00 46.00

Outcome Description To reduce barriers around internet connectivity by providing free Wi-Fi access, community members may also access programs and educational resources offered by the Library Department.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Program Outcome Access to Free Internet 27/7 0.00 46.00

Goal Description Monitor Internet connectivity usage at 46 community locations.

Objective Description Successful implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the project.

Activity Description The Library IT team will follow up and report project's progress.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
2 Service Delivery Site Completion - Closing Documents 46.00 46.00

Activity Description ISD will initiate hardware procurement and coordinate the different crafts that will carryout the project (Masonry, electricians and network engineering).
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Program Outcome Hardware Purchases 150.00 150.00

Activity Description IT Admin team will monitor usage reports as library sites are completed.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Performance ISD and Meraki reports for Internet connectivity and Internet sessions 46.00 46.00
2 Program Outcome # of sessions per library location 0.00 3500.00

Activity Description Library Marketing and Communications will implement promotional outreach strategy.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Schedule of Promotional Outreach 46.00 46.00

Outcome Description To increase access to the internet, by the completion of this project, more than 310,000 Wi-Fi sessions per year will be recorded.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Program Outcome Number of Free Outdoor WiFi Sessions - One Year 0.00 300000.00