The Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library system has launched a comprehensive digital literacy program offering free technology classes to residents across the region, with a particular focus on reaching seniors, rural community members, and others who have been left behind in the rapid shift to digital services. The program, called “Connected Coconino,” will offer weekly classes at library branches in Flagstaff, Williams, and the Tusayan community reading room, covering topics from basic computer skills to internet safety, online healthcare navigation, and digital government services.
Library Director Catherine Begaye announced the initiative at a press conference Monday, describing it as a response to the growing “digital divide” that has become increasingly apparent in Coconino County’s far-flung communities. “The pandemic accelerated the move to online services for everything from healthcare appointments to government benefits to grocery shopping,” Begaye said. “But for many of our community members, especially in rural areas, that transition has been incredibly challenging. This program is about making sure nobody gets left behind.”
The Connected Coconino program is funded through a $380,000 grant from the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records division, supplemented by matching funds from the Coconino County Board of Supervisors. The grant covers staffing for two full-time digital literacy coordinators, equipment including 30 laptop computers for classroom use, mobile hotspot lending devices, and printed instructional materials available in English, Spanish, and Navajo.
Classes are structured in progressive tiers to accommodate learners at every level. The introductory tier covers fundamental skills such as using a mouse and keyboard, creating email accounts, and basic internet browsing. Intermediate classes address topics like video calling, online shopping safety, managing digital photos, and using productivity software. Advanced offerings include sessions on identifying online scams, protecting personal information, accessing telehealth services, and using government portals for services like Social Security, Medicare, and tax filing.
The program has already drawn significant interest from the community. Within one week of announcing registration, more than 120 individuals had signed up for classes at the Flagstaff branch alone. Program Coordinator David Yellowhorse said the demand exceeded initial projections and additional sessions are being added to accommodate the response. “We expected interest, but this has been overwhelming in the best possible way,” Yellowhorse said. “It tells us this need is real and urgent.”
Among the first enrollees is 72-year-old Williams resident Dorothy Baca, who said she signed up for the introductory class after struggling to schedule medical appointments online. “My doctor’s office wants me to use some kind of portal on the computer, and I just don’t know how,” Baca told The Grand Canyon Gazette. “My grandchildren try to help, but they go so fast I can’t follow along. I need someone to teach me slowly, step by step, and that’s exactly what this program is offering.”
In addition to in-person classes, the program includes a mobile outreach component that will bring instruction to community centers, senior living facilities, and tribal chapter houses in more remote areas of the county. A specially equipped van with laptops and internet connectivity will travel to communities that lack convenient access to library branches, ensuring that geography is not a barrier to participation. Yellowhorse said the mobile schedule will be developed in consultation with community leaders to identify locations and times that work best for residents.
The library system also announced a companion program that will lend mobile WiFi hotspot devices to library cardholders for up to three weeks at a time, addressing the lack of reliable internet access in many rural areas of Coconino County. The initial inventory of 50 hotspot devices will be available for checkout at all library branches beginning March 1. Begaye expressed hope that the Connected Coconino initiative will serve as a model for similar programs in rural library systems across Arizona and encouraged residents to visit their nearest library branch or call the library’s helpline to register for classes or reserve a hotspot device.
