Thank you for participating and making sure our first annual Digital Inclusion Month was successful! The San José Public Library celebrated digital inclusion throughout October; check out our previous blogs on: building connected communities, ways to learn and develop digital skills,and community wi-fi & device lending.
Digital Inclusion Month Stats
Our first annual Digital Inclusion Month was extremely successful due to the hard work of library staff and our community as a whole. Here are some highlights:
- Digital skills programming for kids, teens, adults, and seniors was held at 21 branches & virtual
- Nearly 400 kids and teens participated in almost 50 library programs on coding
- More than 300 adult participants in computer and technology programs including:
- Over 110 participants in our Digital Skill Building classes
- Over 120 participants in Tech Help sessions for adults
- Over 50 participants in Tech Time for older adults
Community-Based Organizations
We’d also like to highlight the following community-based organizations! They provide a variety of public support including helping program participants attain an affordable device and hosting digital skills skill building programs as well. Take a look at the other services they provide, these are listed in alphabetical order below.
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County - Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County serves and advocates for individuals and families in need, especially those living in poverty.
International Children Assistance Network (ICAN) - ICAN passionately pursues the engagement of the Vietnamese-American community through parenting programs, community outreaches, and charitable initiatives. ICAN's reach allows us to inform the old and new generations of Vietnamese-Americans the importance of understanding cultural gaps and the benefits of community involvement. ICAN works to raise the next generation of caring leaders to inspire them to make lasting changes as active, progressive members of their community.
International Rescue Committee, Inc. (IRC) - The International Rescue Committee provides opportunities for refugees, asylees, victims of human trafficking, survivors of torture, and other immigrants to thrive in the United States. These individuals have survived against incredible odds. Each year, thousands of people seeking protection from violence and persecution are welcomed into local communities in the U.S. In San Jose and other offices across the country, the IRC helps them rebuild their lives.
Step Up and Do Something! Inc. - Step Up And Do Something! Inc. is a nonprofit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes, specifically to provide services to help people find solutions and resolutions to problems in at risk communities.
Sacred Heart Community Service - Our mission is to build a community free from poverty by creating hope, opportunity, and action. We provide essential services, work together to improve our lives, organize for justice, and inspire our community to love, serve, and share.
Tech Exchange - Tech Exchange works to ensure that all families have a computer, Internet access, and technology skills necessary to improve and enhance their lives. We are dedicated to building a community of digitally proficient Bay Area residents who can access online education, employment, health, financial, and civic services.
Vietnamese Voluntary Foundation Inc. (VIVO) - VIVO's mission is to empower refugees and immigrants, low-income ethnic families to become productive participating citizens, to benefit themselves, their families and their communities through providing comprehensive Community Social and Cultural Services, among others, that promote a healthy, violence-free, self-sufficient and multi-cultural understanding society.
Digital Inclusion All-Year Around
The San José Public Library’s commitment to ensuring digital inclusion for all does not stop with the end of Digital Inclusion month. Our branches offer free community Wi-Fi (wifi), digital skill building classes, and tech help all year around, as well as device lending services. On the library’s website, sjpl.org, you can find self-paced digital skill building lessons, ebooks & other emedia, and a wealth of electronic resources on a variety of topics, all available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Digital inclusion is our pathway to digital equity for all and we are excited to continue this journey with everyone in our community! Thank you for celebrating Digital Inclusion Month with us; we look forward to sharing our progress throughout the year and to our second annual Digital Inclusion Month in October of 2024.
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