Chicago Public Library

chicago-public-library-logoSince first opening their doors in 1873, the Chicago Public Library has served all Chicagoans with free and open places to gather, learn, connect, read and be transformed.

We partner with the Chicago Public Library on a wide range of initiatives.

First, they are a key partner in the Smart Chicago Challenge, an effort to make Chicago the most dynamic digital city in the country. Commissioner Brian Bannon serves on the Challenge Steering Committee.

Library leadership and branch staff are participants in our Connect Chicago website and meetups. More than 20 librarians and Cyber Navigators actively manage location pages on Connect Chicago and many attend our regular meetings.

We are also partners with the Library on Time to Tech, a Hive-funded program to design comprehensive training that will increase organizational technology aptitude.

Smart Chicago assisted the Library in setting up its Internet to Go program. This unique pilot, funded by the Knight Foundation, will "offer Chicago residents Wi-Fi hotspots for up to three weeks at a time, in addition to one-on-one digital literacy and skills coaching and access to online tutorials".

Smart Chicago also provides a seat at 1871 through our Developer Resources program to allow for library leadership and staff to exchange ideas at this important digital hub.

Recent news from projects related to Chicago Public Library

Community Call: NTEN’s Digital Inclusion Fellowship Q&A

The Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) has just announced that applications are open for their 4th Cohort of the National Digital Inclusion ...

Kyla Williams Co-Presents Today at Philanthropy Ohio’s Annual Conference

Today, Leon Wilson, CIO of the Cleveland Foundation, and I will co-present at the Philanthropy Ohio’s annual conference with a theme ...

SMART CHICAGO IS MOVING!!!

Good News!!! The Smart Chicago team is moving and now will be co-located with the City Digital Team at UI ...

Announcing the August Connect Chicago Meetup: Serving Chicago’s Seniors

At the next Connect Chicago Meetup, we’ll have a conversation about technology training programs supporting Chicago’s senior population. We’ll hear ...

Digital Inclusion Meets Open Leadership: Connect Chicago & the Mozilla Global Sprint

This year I’ve had the opportunity to participate in the third cohort of Mozilla Open Leadership Training. During the 14-week ...

Announcing the June Connect Chicago Meetup: Empowering Girls Through Technology

At the next Connect Chicago Meetup, we’ll have a roundtable discussion led by a panel of trainers and nonprofit representatives that ...

Documentation from the Community Technology Forum at Greater Southwest Development Corporation

We’ve compiled the public notes and pictures from the April 22nd Community Technology Forum at the Greater Southwest Development Corporation ...

On the Table 2017: Digital Equity in Education

Over the past three years, thousands of Chicago-area residents have participated in mealtime conversations about how to improve our community ...

Announcing the April Connect Chicago Meetup: Digital Inclusion Asset Mapping

At the next Connect Chicago Meetup we will break into working groups to co-build a better shared inventory of public ...

Announcing the May 20th Community Technology Forum at Windsor Park Evangelical Lutheran Church

The second Community Technology Forum, an event hosted in partnership with the Windsor Park Lutheran Evangelical Church, Leave No Veteran ...

Announcing the April 22nd Community Technology Forum at Greater Southwest Development Corporation

The first Community Technology Forum, an event hosted in partnership with the Greater Southwest Development Corporation (GSDC), DePaul University, and ...

Community Technology Forums: Objectives & Model

In partnership with DePaul University and various Connect Chicago Meetup partners, Connect Chicago will be engaging directly with residents through ...

Women in Tech Speakers Series

Co-authored by Kyla Williams and Derek Eder Smart Chicago Collaborative and Chi Hack Night have teamed up to create a ...

Announcing the February Connect Chicago Meetup: Business Skills Meet Digital Skills

At the next Connect Chicago Meetup, we’ll be exploring cases in blending business and entrepreneurial skill development with digital skills ...

January Connect Chicago DigiSeniors Community Call

It has been over 6 months since the release of DigiSeniors out of Microsoft Chicago. In that time, the program has ...

Digital Inclusion Innovation in Chicago: Wi-Fi at Windsor Park

Windsor Park Lutheran Evangelical Church in Chicago’s South Shore is the home of a collaborative, community-based connectivity initiative. Along with ...