[Libs-Or] Announcing New Mobile Technology Van

[Carrie Turney-Ross]

Jackson County Library Services in Southern Oregon is excited to announce one of our newest services: JCLS DART. DART (Direct Access to Resources and Technology) is a converted 2020 Ford Transit van that serves as a mobile hotspot with a 300ft radius. It is equipped with ten laptops and fifteen tablets that patrons can check out to use on site. This mobile technology van started "darting" around Jackson County on June 19, and to date has already served more than 400 members of the community in one way or another.

When COVID-19 shut down libraries across the nation, many people found themselves without internet connectivity in the moment they needed it most. At JCLS, this barrier was heavy on our minds as our doors remained closed for two months. We did eventually re-open to the public, going to almost full service, then back to limited service, and finally back to full service this summer. However, during all of that time, we realized that the true barrier to internet access was outside of the library buildings.

With all of this happening in an area where many homes have limited or no access to the internet due to a lack of infrastructure, JCLS began asking, "What else can we do?" In November 2020, JCLS applied for the State Library of Oregon CARES Act Grant to get funds for a mobile technology van that would provide access to computers and the internet outside of the libraries. This grant was approved, and our staff immediately got to work on planning for this new service.

Community members have been excited about the new service, and we continue to adjust to ensure they get the most use out of the technology aspects of the van. One area with the greatest potential for impact is Housing Authority apartments that have limited to no internet access. These low-income communities have been hit hard by the COVID pandemic and many families are working to get back on their feet. Without internet access at home, they have to carve out time to come to the library to print vital documents, apply for jobs, and more. DART is scheduled to go to a different location each week to break this barrier to access.

Not only did we face a global pandemic this past year and half, but Southern Oregon was the site of several highly destructive fires in September 2020 that destroyed the homes of thousands of residents. Although our fifteen branches had limited computer access to keep up with COVID restrictions in 2020 and into 2021, our staff helped many patrons gain access to vital documents and resources to rebuild after losing their homes. DART can now also be of service to those who are still unhoused or living in temporary housing. Each week, it will be on site at the Phoenix Fire Resource Center to aid those most effected by the fires. For a full list of DART sites, see our calendar<https://jcls.libcal.com/calendar/jcls_event?cid=3210&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=3210&cm=6765&inc=0>.

In addition to providing internet access, one goal of DART is to provide specific services that include digital literacy programs for seniors, work readiness workshops for job seekers, and general library instruction for all patrons.

In our first month of service, JCLS DART visited eighteen sites, including the inaugural Juneteenth Celebration in Medford, OR, three free lunch sites for students, and the Phoenix Talent Fire Relief Center. More than five-hundred community members visited DART throughout the county. Thirty-one people applied for new library cards, and twenty patrons renewed their existing cards. The Mobile Services Specialist assisted fifty-four patrons in accessing computer resources, library databases, connecting with social services, and digital literacy.

We look forward to providing more exciting information as this service expands! Please contact Adult Services Coordinator Carrie Turney Ross (cturneyross at jcls.org) if you have questions about the process so your library can bring this service to your community, too.

Carrie Turney Ross | she/her/hers
Adult Services Coordinator
Jackson County Library Services
541.774.6561
jcls.org<https://jcls.org/>



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