The New York Public Library Receives Innovation Award from New York City | March 30, 2023

"The New York Public Library (NYPL) is proud to announce that the Adams Administration has awarded NYPL Vice President of Information Technology Garfield Swaby a NYC Hayes Innovation Prize for his groundbreaking work to use Library infrastructure to tackle the digital divide in New York City. ...Swaby and his NYPL team created a pilot program to bring free Wi-Fi internet access to patrons’ homes in neighborhoods that do not currently have access to broadband. The pilot used cutting edge CBRS technology that extended the reach of the Library’s WiFi signal to the participating neighborhoods ...  Phase one of the pilot program recently wrapped up and found that although the CBRS technology is still maturing, under the correct conditions, NYPL can broadcast the signal reliably in patrons’ homes. ... Another facet of phase two involves the NYPL working with vendors to mature the technology to solve the unique challenges of libraries, school districts and the community broadband space. Unlike the private sector the vendors currently create technology for, these groups tend to serve low-income communities, who have unique needs. The NYPL’s efforts to get the vendors to take on these challenges could ultimately help other libraries and community groups, one of the goals of the pilot.  ..."