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<h1 style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#111111">ALA, Capital One invite rural libraries to apply for Community Connect: Digital Access at Home grants<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">The American Library Association (ALA) and Capital One announced a new grant opportunity for rural public libraries that will support
digital access and financial capability for 20 communities nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">Through <a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/programming/communityconnect" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Community Connect: Digital
Access at Home</span></a>, 20 rural public libraries will receive resources to support financial capability and internet access for their patrons for two years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">Applications will be accepted from July 6 to August 26, 2020. Library workers can apply online at<a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/programming/communityconnect" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> ala.org/CommunityConnect</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the digital divide – and brought new urgency to ALA’s longstanding commitment to equitable connectivity,” said ALA President Julius C. Jefferson,
Jr. “ALA is thrilled to partner with Capital One to help communities get online for their health and well-being and to distribute information to help rural Americans overcome financial challenges.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">Libraries selected to participate in Community Connect will receive:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;padding:4.8rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:inherit" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">five Verizon Wi-Fi hotspots with two-year contracts and service for lending to patrons<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">a $2,000 stipend to support financial literacy programming<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">a curated book list of financial literacy titles featured in ALA’s <a href="http://libguides.ala.org/finra-ore/personalfinance" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Financial
Literacy LibGuide</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">a copy of ALA Editions’ <a href="https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/rainy-day-ready-financial-literacy-programs-and-tools" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">“Rainy
Day Ready: Financial Literacy Programs and Tools</span></a>”<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:#333333;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2;background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">professional development and support<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">Public libraries are eligible if they serve a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and are in a rural community at least five miles from an urbanized area, per the Institute
for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">People across the country are increasingly reliant on broadband for the delivery of essential services like education and tele-medicine. Data from the Federal Communications Commission
reveals that 22 percent of Americans in rural areas and 28 percent of Americans living on tribal lands lack broadband coverage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">“Capital One recognizes that digital access is a lever that has the potential to unlock opportunities for education, entrepreneurship and employment, as well as increased connections
to health, financial well-being and other services that are increasingly only accessible online,” said Mariadele Priest, senior director of community impact & investing at Capital One. “We are proud to support Community Connect and underscore the need for
digital access in rural communities, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbates existing digital inequalities.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">The goals of Community Connect are to expand the service capacity of rural libraries by offering hotspot lending policies and financial capability seminars; improve the digital access
of rural library patrons via hotspots and enhance opportunities for social mobility by pursuing remote education, economic inclusion, financial management and health; and demonstrate the efficacy of the pilot program and use results to build consensus on how
to address sustainable digital inclusion for rural communities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">Community Connect: Digital Access at Home will be managed by ALA’s Public Programs Office.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">About the American Library Association</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through
essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information
for all. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ala.org./" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">www.ala.org.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">About the ALA Public Programs Office</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">The ALA Public Programs Office empowers libraries to create vibrant hubs of learning, conversation and connection in communities of all types. Learn more at <a href="http://www.ala.org/ppo" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">www.ala.org/ppo</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">About Capital One</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:#FEFEFE;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing: border-box;margin:1rem 0rem;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch: inherit;font-size:1.4rem">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#494949">Capital One Financial Corporation is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Its subsidiaries, Capital One, N.A. and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., offer a broad spectrum of financial products
and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. We apply the same principles of innovation, collaboration and empowerment in our commitment to our communities across the country that we do in our business. We recognize that helping to build
strong and healthy communities — good places to work, good places to do business and good places to raise families — benefits us all, and we are proud to support this and other community initiatives. <a href="https://www.capitalone.com/about/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#337AB7;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">https://www.capitalone.com/about/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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