San José Public Library
Neighborhood Services & Education Committee
February 13th, 2025
Jill Bourne, Ann Grabowski, Abigail Shull, and Uarporn Nopmongcol
DIGITAL EQUITY ASSESSMENT
REPORT
San José Public Library
S A N J O S É ’ S C O M M I T M E N T T O D I G I T A L E Q U I T Y COVID-19
2016-2017 2018-2019 2020-2022 2023
Approximately 95k
residents with no
home internet
City’s first Broadband
& Digital Inclusion
Strategy approved in
2017
Launched
Community Wi-Fi
partnership with East
Side Union High
School District. 1st
attendance area
network opened in
2017
Public-Private
Partnerships with
telecoms began
Revenue from
streetlight leases
Digital Inclusion
Fund created
Permit Streamlining
First Digital Inclusion Grants $1M
to nonprofits and $1.4M to
schools to support distancelearning.
SJ Access launched and
expanded with emergency
one-time funds:
- Hotspot & computer lending
- 17 new outdoor Wi-Fi zones at
community center and library
locations
- New expanded digital skills
training
Wi-Fi Expansion + 5 attendance
areas
Round 4 Grants:
restructured
management into
the Library and
Library Foundation
became fiscal
agent
Final Wi-Fi
Expansion – 8 total
network areas on
air
San José Public Library
S A N J O S É ’ S D I G I T A L D I V I D E - T H E N A N D N O W San José Public Library
2 0 2 5 S T R A T E G Y U P D A T E
San José Public Library
B R O A D B A N D S E R V I C E S
Public-private partnerships
• 4G/5G small cell and macro deployment • Fiber installation pilot • Airport cellular coverage • Lift Zones • Smart City and Internet of Things pilots • STEM and digital inclusion program
sponsorship
99%
Basic Speed
100/20 Mbps
36%
Aspirational
1000/500 Mbps
1%
37%
Fiber
0%
52%
Home
Wireless
90%
68%
Only 1-2
providers
Infrastructure enabled
by permit streamlining via PPP
--lacking at many
mobile homes
& multifamily
housing
San José Public Library
Community Wi-Fi
Safety Net to 200k+ residents
• 8 neighborhood networks
• Average Monthly Use by 76,800 people
• Outdoor Wi-Fi at Civic buildings,
7 community centers, 9 libraries, 8 parks
$68/mo
Avg.
9%
4%
Unconnected
6%
8%
Cellular
only
2%
5%
Smart
Phone Only
S A N J O S É ’ S D I G I T A L D I V I D E
7%
3%
No Device
Elimination of Federal Subsidies (ACP, EBB)
• Impacted 40K San Jose Households
• Eliminated $1.1M in monthly subsidies
• Approx. 16% of Households cancelled internet
Digital Inclusion Priority Index
lack of internet access & household income
San José Public Library
S J A C C E S S – N E W D I G I T A L E M P O W E R M E N T P R O G R A M S Digital Skill Building
Coding + Computer Science
Resilience Corps IT & CS Pathway
15,000 residents
in-person and virtual
over 18,000 youth and
young adults
in-person and virtual
Workforce development program
Pilot Cohort January 2025
4 Resilience Corps Associates
San José Public Library
D I G I T A L I N C L U S I O N G R A N T P R O G R A M $3,823,565 granted
13,549 residents
$11.6M
35,300 Residents
8 CBOs
Federal Digital Equity Act Grant
Prospective Award
2025-2029
City Digital Inclusion Fund
Grant Program
2020-2025
2025 Model: Tech Hubs
3,000 residents
20+ hours/week
6 Community Spaces
Digital Skills, Internet,
Device Access
16 Tech Hubs
San Jose
Santa Clara County
San Mateo County
San José Public Library
F U T U R E A C T I O N S
•Report to full Council in Spring 2025
San José Public Library
QUESTIONS?