University of Montevallo

The University of Montevallo will help close the digital divide on its campus by providing basic computing and networking resources for students in remote learning situations. The university will also support students and faculty in the arts transitioning to distance education by providing software and hardware specific to their field of study, with possible applications to other disciplinary areas. The University's library currently houses multiple public networked computers and a specialized digital media lab with 16 Macs that is heavily used by fine arts students. However, the library has few off-campus computing options for those who do not have access to reliable computers or internet, or who need specialized technology. The library will address these problems by providing computers for student check-out, portable hotspots for those who live in areas with nonexistent or unreliable internet service, and portable battery packs to help those who have reported trying to work from the parking lots of retail establishments or libraries.