Sharing Digital Navigators Among Public Libraries

Computer Ownership is Critical

Authoritative studies show that households that do not own large screen computers are unlikely to be ready to “meaningfully access” high-speed broadband (Amy L. Gonzales, “The Importance of Large-Screen Device Ownership: A Research Report," November 2021). Further study has determined that laptops serve students and job seekers far better than desktop devices. Many seniors find tablets easier to learn than laptops.

Therefore, digital navigation grants administered by the CT State Library have included the distribution of large screen devices, specifically laptops and tablets, as a fundamental component of such service. The CT State Library, based on these experiences and studies do not recommend that you try to loan, rather than give, away devices. 

What Criteria Should Guide Your Purchases?

The Hamden Public Library in its capacity as a navigator sharing hub, used the following criteria.

• Devices that could be updated to the latest hardware and software requirements.
• A total purchase of laptops that met the needs of students, and jobseekers, as well as tablets that please seniors with reduced ability to manipulate track pads. Laptops offer multiple ports. Some models offer more ports than others and this matters for some clients. Tablets are lighter.
• The licensing process that was used for the navigator sharing program involved choosing devices that operated Windows 10 or 11 and at the initial device setup, allowing the client to redeem a software license for Microsoft Office Home and Student.  At the same time, navigators helped clients to compare Microsoft Office to cloud-based software like Google Workplace.

One Bundle of Purchases that Worked 

The devices chosen by the navigator sharing grant hub team included 195 LENOVO 300E 2^nd GEN 81M9 laptops, 147 LENOVO IDEAPAD DUET 3 10IGL5 tablets, 90 DELL LATITUDE 5480 laptops, and 24 DELL LATITUDE 5400 laptops. Licenses purchased included 195 Microsoft Office Home & Student licenses. Some available devices that came with Windows 10 software required Extended Security Updates. Others had the capacity to upgrade to Windows 11. Navigators committed to helping clients update if needed.  One laptop model was the most cost-effective purchase and another offered more ports for clients who needed connections to peripheral devices to meet their needs. 

What Might Work Better?

In their final evaluation of the device process, navigators suggested purchasing mouses, which seniors appreciated, as a matter of course. Future projects might consider a select number of foreign language keyboards and software and select accessibility accessories. 

The actual purchase package size was determined by the number of navigator hours for which funds existed, the likely number of appointments each navigator would conduct in that total amount of hours (based on previous projects), and the history of navigation in Connecticut, which suggested that at least half of all clients who arrived at an appointment would appropriately request a device. 

Receiving, Processing, Tracking, and Distributing Devices to Libraries

Upon arrival, devices and licenses were unboxed and organized by asset type. Shipment quantities were verified. Devices were listed on an accounting sheet by model number, serial number, and numbers that identified the library to which it was destined on an accounting sheet. Each navigator was assigned a laptop, a tablet, and the appropriate licenses.  Each library picked up an allotment of 2 types of devices that totaled 40 laptops and 21 tablets.  As device inventory ran low at one or another library, the Project Coordinator organized re-distributions to meet need at another.  Navigators did not report feeling short of devices during their service period of approximately 12 months and 1600 appointments.

Lessons from the Regional Sharing of Devices

The most important staffing position for regional sharing of navigation and device distribution was that of the Project Coordinator. The Project Coordinator ordered and accounted for devices purchased at the regional Hub. The PC distributed and kept track of inventories at each participating library and dealt with the discovery of broken devices or missing licenses by making returns or accepting replacements.

This staff person also monitored device need at each participating library and arranged to shift inventory and keep records of those inventory changes. The PC also updated those navigators distributing devices on the current ratio of clients to device need and refined policy distribution as questions arose. When asked the PC communicated directly with library directors and community partner organizations about policy and logistics.

The PC also facilitated meetings among navigators distributing devices where they could exchange experiences with setup issues and hardware / software limitations that could be addressed in future purchases or workarounds. It was in this way that the project accumulated information about the need for such things as Arabic language keyboards or accessibility tools.