by Geoff Fox
Washington County Free Library will be distributing Chromebooks this month to adult county residents at various locations around the county. The distribution for Chromebooks in Hancock will be Saturday, January 27, from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
An appointment is required and can be made by calling 301-678-5300.
The effort is to close the digital divide and increase digital literacy in Washington County through a grant provided by Washington County government via the Maryland State Department of Housing and Community Development.
The Library is the primary distributor of the no-cost Chromebooks for Washington County.
Distribution events will be held at each library location during the first five months of 2024 with the first wave beginning January 5 in Hagerstown.
There are eligibility rules and qualifications for the Chromebooks.
The program is only open to Washington County residents 18 years and older and only one device is allowed per household.
In order to pick up your Chromebook at your appointment, a valid and not expired photo ID, proof of Washington County residence, and proof of a qualifier is needed.
Those qualifications are households with an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines – $27,180 for a household of one, $36,620 for a household of two, $46,060 for a household of three, $55,500 for a household of four, or $9,440 for each additional household member; households enrolled in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program; Households that participate in government assistance programs such as child receives free or reduced-price school lunch, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Medicaid, Pell Grant (current award year), SNAP, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, and WIC.
Examples of proof include (but not limited to) a proof of benefit like your SNAP or Medicaid card, internet bill showing the ACP discount, or the first page of your 2022 or 2023 tax return.
Residents can call the Fletcher Library Information Services Department at 301-739-3250, option 4, with any specific questions.
“We understand that demand may be higher than our supply of Chromebooks,” Washington County Free Library said on their website. “If you are not eligible or do not meet the qualifications for this distribution, WCFL still has you covered with public computers available at all library locations.”
More Chromebooks from ISC
Interfaith Service Coalition will also be distributing Chromebooks as well, just through a different partnership.
While the Chromebooks area coming through the same program as the library’s, ISC has partnered with the Town of Hancock to distribute their allotted Chromebooks.
Both distributions are through the State of Maryland.
The distribution for ISC’s Chromebooks isn’t on a set schedule and could be ready as soon as this Friday.
The qualifications for these Chromebooks are the same as for the library’s Chromebooks.
The Chromebook distribution does have one catch – you can only receive one Chromebook per household and people cannot receive one through both distribution sites.
ISC Director Debbie Cohill said there is a database distributors log into where they enter an address.
If an address has already been used at either place, they cannot receive a second one.
To register to receive a Chromebook through Interfaith Service Coalition, contact Debbie Cohill at 301-678-6605 or 301-331-6605.
