Cobb County Public Library Launches Chromebook Lending Service

COBB COUNTY, GA — Chromebooks with built-in cellular Wi-Fi service have been added to the Cobb County Public Library collection of digital devices for Cobb library cardholders.

The library has 150 all-in-one Chromebook laptop kits for residents aged 17 and up with limited or no broadband service to checkout for up to three weeks, according to the library.

“Our Chromebook rollout is an opportunity to amplify the role Cobb libraries play as a community partner in bridging the broadband access gap many of our neighbors are experiencing in the county,” said Shelley Zhang, CCPL Division Director of Technical Operations in a statement.

The Chromebook devices are designed primarily for web browsing or to use with the Google Workspace suite of applications like Google Docs and Google Sheets. Each Chromebook has Wi-Fi service from T-Mobile and allows for connecting to a different network, according to the library.

Funding for the Chromebook kits with T-Mobile service is from the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program providing $7 billion in grants to public libraries and schools authorized by Congress as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The library system has extended the checkout period for AWE Learning tables from seven days to three weeks to support parents and caregivers of preschoolers and early elementary students using the early literacy devices for access to educational games and activities, including writing, math, and art, according to a news release.

Learn more here.