<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal">(sending the following on behalf of our director)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Good afternoon, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Today, the Wasco County Library Service District joined <a href="https://connectamericansnow.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#954F72">Connect Americans Now</span></a>, a new coalition
that is forming to eliminate the digital divide. The organization is supported by <a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmsblob.blob.core.windows.net%2Fncmedia%2F2017%2F07%2FRural-Broadband-Strategy-Microsoft-Whitepaper-FINAL-7-10-17.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Cmikemcm%40microsoft.com%7Cc77c33fcab664e7d26cf08d51a20f360%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C1%7C636443651187119655&sdata=sKguGuz2SJ0e%2BhBFO85D9oKnS5BRhid7e7r1V1siGas%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#954F72">Microsoft</span></a> and
other leaders including the Schools Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and the National Rural Education Association<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>We hope OLA will join the coalition with us. </b>There are communities who are served by the Wasco County Library Service District, such as Dufur and Maupin, Oregon, who have incredibly spotty or unreliable internet access. In an age
where so much of our communication happens digitally, it is essential that we address the shortage of adequate broadband for anchor institutions and their communities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please reach out to Laura Hanson (<a href="mailto:lhanson@hilltoppublicsolutions.com">lhanson@hilltoppublicsolutions.com</a> or 503-984-3275) if you have any questions, or if you would like to join the coalition alongside us. I sincerely
encourage you to join. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff Wavrunek<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">District Librarian<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wasco County Library Service District<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>