Our Vision
About Us
Connect Arizona is a digital inclusion initiative led by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records.
Our activities are informed by a network of community partners, government agencies, broadband stakeholders, leaders in education, and the people we serve. This initiative has two primary aims:
Connect Arizona Digital Navigators
Connect Arizona Digital Navigators are a team of librarians from different public libraries, supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. We provide one-on-one phone support services free of charge.
This program is based on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s Digital Navigators model: individuals who address the whole digital inclusion process — home connectivity, devices, and digital skills — through one-on-one support and repeated interactions if needed. We know that learning technology is often intimidating, and that everyone can benefit from patient, trusted guides who understand digital literacy as well as local contexts.
The Library Development and E-Rate branches of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Arizona Secretary of State, empower Arizona libraries to offer excellent customer service through consulting, grant funding, resources, and training. We support Arizona libraries to increase their capacity for digital inclusion by offering sub-grants to support digital equity initiatives, leveraging federal E-Rate funding to support broadband deployment to libraries, providing continuing education opportunities to Arizona library staff, collecting and sharing stories and data to inform decision making, facilitating library networks, and collaborating with libraries and partners to provide direct services to impacted communities. www.azlibrary.gov
School Connect is a nonprofit that helps schools build strategic partnerships because it takes a village to help every child reach their potential. In mid-March School Connect launched the Tech Connect Project in response to the urgent need for technology & internet for students who moved to virtual learning. In collaboration with Computers2Kids, Cox Communications, AT&T and Maricopa School Districts they distributed 500 computers and connected families in need to internet providers. To contribute computers visit: www.schoolconnectaz.org
Common Sense Media is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Common Sense also developed a collective-action education initiative called Wide Open School. This platform features a free and open collection of online learning experiences and referrals to social and community services for PreK-12 kids and families. http://www.commonsense.org