City of Farmington (Farmington Public Library)

The Farmington Public Library in New Mexico will expand community access to safe, reliable internet, an ongoing challenge that has been exacerbated during COVID-19. The library will upgrade four existing indoor Wi-Fi access points and install four additional outdoor ones to promote 24/7 access. Library staff will receive training on the new systems, and the library will promote availability of the new access points. The expanded access will serve users from the Navajo Nation Reservation, children, people working from home, and the 19 percent of Farmington’s population who do not have reliable internet access at home. In the short-term, the project will help provide safe and reliable Wi-Fi while the library building’s hours are limited, and in the long-term, it will help position the library as a community access hub.