The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, has awarded a $4000 grant to the Cochise College Libraries. The monies will be used to provide currently enrolled students with WiFi Hotspots. 

As more classes are taught online, libraries have started to loan out hotspots for anyone who needs access to the internet at home. “When classes transitioned to online last spring, the library staff knew it was a service we had to provide for students,” said Karly Scarbrough, Douglas Campus head librarian. Many college students do not have access to the internet. Some live in rural areas of Cochise County where the internet is unavailable, or the cost of having internet is not affordable. “The grant allows the libraries to add more hotspots to our current inventory for students,” Scarbrough added. “These devices allow students to connect to the internet from anywhere.”

Over the last 16 years, the libraries at Cochise College have also supplied laptops for students to checkout. “We were one of the first libraries to allow students to take laptops home,” said Scarbrough. “At the beginning of the pandemic, we received funding to purchase 75 new laptops for both campuses.”

At Cochise College, the laptops and hotspots are available for free to any currently enrolled student at any campus or center. To check out and borrow a laptop or hotspot, students must fill out the online request form located under library resources on the MyCochise student portal. Students can check out both items for up to three weeks, and it is renewable. 

“The library strives to provide students with access to resources they will need to complete their courses successfully,” continued Scarbrough. “This goes beyond books and digital materials to include access to a computer and internet at home.”  

In 2020, the Arizona State Library received about $3.5 million under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), which is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “These subgrants allow libraries to go above and beyond in their communities,” said Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. “These projects will increase access to information and education for Arizonans. They support institutional improvements and help form inclusive communities.” 

For more information about the Cochise College Libraries, call (520) 417-4082 or visit www.cochise.edu/library.