Cincy Cyber Access

Watch the story in the March 5 show.

If we have a question, we Google it. If we want to schedule an appointment, we send a quick email. But for those living without high-speed internet, these things are not so simple.

For urban residents, there is one space where anyone can go to access the internet - public libraries. 

The Cincinnati Public Library has been providing internet access since 1999, with engagement coordinator David Siders leading the way.

“Public libraries were going to be a space to offer free access to the internet, and now the world of information has exploded as a result of internet access,” he says.

Citizens of Cincinnati  utilize this public space to search for jobs or simply to play their favorite video game.

But internet access is not a game for people in poverty. Statistics show up to a third of those living on less than $20,000 a year lack reliable internet access. That's why library patron Vera Ward believes internet access at the library is so important to the community.

“Some people don't have access to the internet, so they come here. They use it,” Ward says. “I think having access is very important. With technology advancing, to stay in front of the cutting edge of technology is very important.”

So the next time you sit down for a Zoom meeting or do a doctor's visit online, remember that for some, high-speed internet is a public need and often a private luxury.