Feb. 28. 2025 -- The Lackawanna County Library System has received 100 new laptop computers that patrons, nonprofits, and other institutions may check out, like books or other materials, at member libraries.

Sandy Longo, library system director, took delivery of the laptops Thursday at Scranton’s Albright Memorial Library. She said the computers will be housed at Albright and the Abington and Valley community libraries, which participated in writing the grant application. But anyone with a library card will have access to the devices.

Lackawanna County acquired the laptops with a competitive grant from the American Rescue Plan Act’s $20 million Digital Connectivity Technology Program. The project, part of the federal government’s COVID-19 recovery program, increases access to broadband technology in areas where affordability has been identified as a barrier to that access. The computers themselves are the grant award, so it did not carry a specific dollar figure.

Libraries will make available 45 of the computers to patrons with Lackawanna County Library System library cards, They may borrow a device for up to three weeks for personal use. The remaining 55 laptops would be reservable for group usage by library staff as part of in-house or community-based informational literacy training or by local nonprofits, educational institutions, and governmental entities.

The computers are pre-loaded with multiple platforms to enable users to gain or improve computer literacy, use an array of Microsoft software, and access SkillUp PA courses for no-cost online job skills training.

Pictured: The Lackawanna County Library System receives 100 Hewlett Packard laptop computers Wednesday at the Albright Memorial Library in Scranton, which library card holders will be able to borrow like books and other materials. Front row, from left: Kristen Wallo, executive director, Valley Community Library; Allyson Wind, executive director, Abington Community Library; Jess Serrenti, head of IT and digital services, Scranton Public Library; and Sandy Longo, Executive Director, Lackawanna County Library System. Back row, from left: Briana Cimino, circulation and youth services manager, Scranton Public Library; Scott Thomas, CEO/executive director, Scranton Public Library; Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan; and Sandra Opshinsky, grants manager, Lackawanna County Department of Planning & Economic Development.