Maine public libraries are ‘essential anchors’ for broadband expansion

SeniorsPlus in Lewiston received a $2.6 million grant to advance construction of an education center and commercial kitchen that will serve as a connectivity hub, which broke ground last year.

New connectivity hubs are taking shape as Maine pushes to expand broadband access across all corners of the state.

The Maine Connectivity Authority, the public agency leading those efforts, announced $3.3 million in grants for capital improvements aimed at boosting economic and social opportunities for individuals and communities through digital access.

Recipients include the Maine State Library, the Bangor Public Library and all branches of the Portland Public Library, which together received more than $700,000 of the funds.

“Maine’s three area reference and resource center libraries are essential anchors for the state’s 257 public libraries and their patrons, especially those libraries that serve our smallest and most rural communities where resources may be far and few between,” said Lori Stockman, the state librarian.

“Connectivity hub funding will augment the services they provide to residents in these communities with access to new resources such as privacy pods for telehealth appointments and job interviews, charging stations for devices and new Wi-Fi equipment and computer equipment for public use,” she added.

The resources provide access to information and technology that individuals can’t afford to purchase on their own, Stockman added.

Digital services
The grants are part of MCA’s Connectivity Hubs program, which helps community anchor institutions — such as libraries, community centers, municipal and tribal buildings — provide workforce training, education and telehealth services in areas and among populations most impacted by barriers to reliable internet connectivity.

The $700,000 will go toward advancing digital services, including access to high-speed fiber internet, public access computers and digital skills support, including one-to-one technology assistance and formal classes.

Financing gap
Of the $3.3 million awarded, $2.6 million went to Lewiston nonprofit SeniorsPlus for its connectivity hub project the Maine Connectivity Authority has underway.

The project began in 2024, when SeniorsPlus was awarded $900,000 to contribute to a new one-story education center and commercial kitchen, aimed at expanding the capacity to serve older adults in western and central Maine. The additional funds will cover the financing gap necessary for SeniorsPlus to establish its facility in Lewiston.

“For many older adults and individuals with disabilities, digital connectivity is a lifeline to health care, family, community resources and opportunities for continued independence,” said Betsy Sawyer-Manter, president and CEO of SeniorsPlus. “This investment will help ensure that more people have access not only to reliable broadband, but also to the support and skills needed to confidently navigate an increasingly digital world.”

Capital improvements
The awardees committed to completing capital improvements by December, as mandated by the program’s federal funding source.

Earlier this month, Maine Connectivity Authority President Andrew Butcher began a statewide driving tour — in his 1984 Volkswagen van named Buttercup — to document connectivity and get input on strategies to improve internet service to homes and businesses that struggle with unreliable connections.

The information will inform Connectivity 2030, a strategy to guide how the internet translates into opportunity across Maine.