West Tenn. libraries to get tech boost thanks to state grants

JACKSON, Tenn. — West Tennessee libraries will receive thousands of dollars in grant money to pay for technology upgrades. Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett visited several local branches Wednesday to present checks.

“You can’t participate in this economy, frankly, if you don’t have good computer skills,” Hargett said.

Hargett presented the Jackson-Madison County Library with a $9,000 check Wednesday for technology training. “There’s a lot of people in your viewing area that don’t have access to a computer, don’t have access to the internet,” he said.

Jackson-Madison County Library Director Dinah Harris said the money will pay for nine laptops with word processing software, two Android and two Apple devices, plus two Mac computers.

“It will enable us to increase the number of computer classes we can offer the public and also be able to offer off-site classes,” Harris said.

Keep My Hood Good, an organization that helps at-risk youth in Jackson and Madison County, plans to take advantage of the new technology. “We will be able to teach the children how to fill out job applications, how to build resumes and not only the children but the parents,” Keep My Hood Good Founder/Executive Director Juanita Jones said.

Harris said some of the new technology will also go to the downtown branch. She said some of the laptops will be used at the north Jackson location and part of mobile classes. Harris said both branches will get an Android and Apple device and a Mac.

“It gives people skills to also develop confidence in their computer literacy skills to be able to go find different jobs or to go find a job,” Hargett said.

Libraries in Brownsville, Henderson and Parsons also received technology grants.

Hargett said local communities must meet at least 10 percent of the grant money they receive.