Southeastern NY Library Resources Council (Southeastern) has received a grant to evaluate its digital navigation services at libraries and community organizations across the Mid-Hudson Region.
The project, led by the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) in collaboration with Dr. Colin Rhinesmith, Visiting Associate Professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will provide insights to inform the growth of the Digital Navigators of the Hudson Valley service. Since its launch in 2022, the service has trained 125 digital navigators to support community members with internet adoption and the use of computing devices in partnership with the Mid-Hudson Library System, Ramapo Catskill Library System, and Westchester Library System.
The grant is one of twenty awarded through the Digital Equity Technical Assistance Fund, is part of Governor Hochul’s ConnectALL initiative to transform the state’s digital infrastructure and expand broadband access, affordability, and equity statewide. See a November 2024 press release for details about the grantees across all ten regions of New York State.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I LOVE NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov
