Latest news with #RockfordPublicLibrary
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rockford Library's Digilibrary van delivers tech access on the go
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford Public Library's 'DigiLibrary' van launched in March, bringing computer classes to the community. 'Everybody is kind of expected to have access to technology, a smartphone, computer access, the ability to use all of those things. And if they don't, there's a lot that you can't really do,' said RPL's Digital Librarian Tiffany Hayes. Hayes said the DigiLibrary has helped a broad spectrum of Rockford residents. On Tuesday, it visited the Brooke Road United Methodist Church, at 404 Brooke Road. 'Monday's hour rotating staff of the senior residences, and they get books and also can ask for help with their devices, laptops, computers, that kind of thing,' Hayes said. 'And Monday afternoons, we have a stop at the Irving Avenue Strong community house, and that's like an after-school program. So the kids get computers, books, STEM activities, that kind of thing.' Hayes said the staff also help at Carpenter's Place, the nonprofit homeless advocacy group, on Wednesdays, creating resumes. Seniors, like Sandy McCallum, said they have seen the biggest impact. 'People need to be able to come in and learn how to use computers, learn word processing, learn how to make an application, learn how to fax something, how to copy something,' she said. 'They are amazed that they can come here and get all that. And it doesn't cost anything. In this day and age, we all need to learn to use computers because that's where we get our information so much of the time.' Hayes added, 'It definitely has room to grow, but it's had a really positive response so far and really successful kind of rollout to the places that we're able to be. We consistently get questions of do we have computer classes? Can I get there? You know, how do I get on a computer, that kind of thing. So, yeah, I definitely think it's going to grow.' A schedule of the DigiLibrary stops is listed on the Rockford Public Library. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former office building along Rock River demolished
Demolition began Monday of a dilapidated former riverfront office building next to the new Rockford Public Library. The building at 227 N. Wyman St. was once home to a Blue Cross Blue Shield office. Library officials had decided to demolish the building when plans to turn it into a $22 million, six-story luxury apartment complex evaporated. More: Rockford celebrates opening of 'stunning' $40M riverfront library Rockford last year agreed to split the cost of demolition up to $375,000 using American Rescue Plan Act funding. The cost of demolition is high because of the building's proximity to the Jefferson Street Bridge, officials said. The library bought the property for $300,000 in 2016 in hopes a project that would complement its new $40 million library would be built there. When that project did not come to fruition it was believed the property detracted from the library. A new 66,000-square-foot library opened at 215 N. Wyman St. with panoramic views of the Rock River in June 2024. More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the Register Star app Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@ and on X @jeffkolkey. This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Dilapidated former office building near library demolished
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockford Public Library's ‘DigiLibrary' hits the road March 10
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – A tool to help the Rockford Public Library make its services more accessible to the community will go live Monday, March 10. Officials say the 'DigiLibrary' will bring lifelong learning opportunities to the city. 'We're going to be going throughout, all over the city, offering computer courses,' ' said RPL Manager of Digital Services Kathi Kresol. The courses, Kresol added, are part of a bigger goal. 'What we are really bringing is access,' she added. 'We are bringing access to the internet. We can pull up in to a neighborhood [and] set up some tables with some Chromebooks. People can come check their email with us.' The DigiLibrary is a 2024 Ford Transit van that has been outfitted as a state-of-the art internet hotspot. 'We will also be partnering with several places like the Brooke Road Community Center and the Northwest Community Center and offering computer classes in those neighborhoods,' Kresol said. In addition to internet access, the DigiLibrary provides access to instruction and access to devices. The service includes three dozen Chromebooks that will be used for classes and for Rockford residents to check out with their library card. 'Access to the internet, access to the devices and access to how to use that all,' Kresol said. Rockford leaders say the service is a prime example of how things continue to evolve. It also helps put an exclamation point on RPL's role as a 21st century library. 'If someone's having trouble with transportation, the DigiLibrary can come to them,' Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said in a previous report. 'If a kid is playing at a park, the DigiLibrary can come to them. If there's a senior who may need to learn how to communicate with a younger relative in a different community via their phone and wants to learn how to do FaceTime, they can do it here.' The van was donated by SiFi Networks, the company that's in the process of building a citywide fiberoptic internet network in Rockford. 'Closing the digital divide is very important to us, and we are thrilled to have partnered with the Rockford Public Library with our donation of the DigiLibrary and its tech to create a sustained impact throughout the city, bringing connectivity to the hands of those that are challenged to connect. We look forward to seeing it around the city providing a vital service,' a company spokesperson said Thursday in an email to Eyewitness News. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rockford names 2025 Poet Laureate, Youth Poet
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The City of Rockford, the Rockford Area Arts Council, and the Rockford Public Library have named a new Poet Laureate and Youth Poet for 2025. Lydia Kozlowski has been named as the 2024-2025 Poet Laureate. According to a press release, 'Lydia brings a unique perspective to her work, deeply influenced by her heritage as the daughter of Polish immigrants. She views the world through this lens, allowing her poetry to explore themes of identity, language, and cultural connection. As Poet Laureate, Lydia has an exciting vision for amplifying diverse voices in the community. One of her key initiatives will be to curate and showcase poems by local women, incorporating multilingual works, translations, and code-switching to celebrate the richness of language and expression.' Kozlowski, a graduate of Boylan Catholic High School, has had her work published in The Finger Literary Magazine and Spoon River Poetry Review. Her poem, Black Out at the White Eagle, will be featured in the forthcoming Rockford Anthology. Autumn Rose Smith was named as the 2025 Youth Poet. Smith is currently a junior at Boylan, and had her first poem published in Futures, a book by Appelley Publishing, while she was in the 4th Grade. She has twice been recognized in the school's Annual Poetry Contest, and has been published seven times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
