Dora Waters often stops by the A C Bilbrew Library in unincorporated Willowbrook for a quiet space to write and stretch her legs.
She lives at a homeless shelter and relies on its free Wi-Fi for work. And even though she owns a laptop, she sometimes needs help using it.
“I have been frustrated for years coming to the library and really not knowing the technology and wishing someone was here to help me,” Waters said. “So it’s here.”
The county now offers free digital assistance at 43 libraries and other facilities through its Delete the Divide initiative. (See below for the list of libraries).
Interns work one-on-one with residents to provide basic tech support, from resetting a lost password to repairing a broken laptop.
The goal is to help people feel more comfortable online so they can access social services and participate in the digital economy. Interns also help people sign up for broadband discounts and other services.
“Technology is taking over so much of what we do every day, that if we don't help people to get connected … it's just going to make their households' experience more difficult,” said Selwyn Hollins, director of L.A. County’s Internal Services Department.
Hollins started Delete the Divide in 2021 to help connect people during the pandemic.
“It really affected the entire household," Hollins said. “Many of the county and municipal services are available online and people couldn't get access in this time of need.”
The free assistance program started last year and recently expanded to 43 libraries. It's targeted at areas where more than 20% of households lack broadband; by removing barriers to access, it's hoped the digital divide will be narrowed. That’s the gap between people who have easy access to modern technology and those who don’t.
Delete the Divide hired about 250 young people from underserved communities to give them training and help diversify the industry. Many of the interns are students or adults pursuing jobs in the technology field, according to Aravinda Edussuriya, a program administrator for Delete the Divide who oversees the internship program.
Interns also get mentorship and networking opportunities with people in the tech industry. Candidates must be 16 and older to apply, and must reside in a community that’s been impacted by the digital divide.
Being from the neighborhood allows the interns to better connect with residents, said intern Jaelyn Garrard, who grew up about 10 minutes from the A C Bilbrew Library. She’s studying computer science at Cal State Long Beach while learning on the job.
“I’m really able to just connect with people… they receive what I’m saying well and they feel like I’m trying to help them, which I am,” she said.
Anyone can walk in to the library for digital support, no appointment necessary. The service is also available at five senior centers across the county.
“Sometimes small tasks might seem easy to us but they really aren’t to other people,” said Merling Velasquez, an intern at the A C Bilbrew library. “We really just want to help.”
Velasquez, 23, said she grew up watching her father repair computers at home in Watts. She taught herself how to code and is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Southern California. But not everyone feels as comfortable with technology.
“A lot of times it’s about going on Google ourselves and learning with [residents],” Velasquez said. “We don’t just do things for people, we want to show them how to do it for themselves.”
Jeffrey Sichaleune, the library manager at A C Bilbrew, calls it an underutilized resource. He said it can be difficult to reach people beyond the walls of the library — especially those who are offline — without a large advertising budget.
“Not only is it important to serve the people who come into the library, it’s also important to get the word out for people who don’t use the library… who don’t come from a background where they understand what the library is for,” he said.
