Baltimore County is creating outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots at 10 county libraries.
It’s the county’s latest response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Internet access has long been an issue in the county. There are parts of the rural north county, where Wi-Fi isn’t available. Other residents can’t afford it. But now the usual places where you can get free Wi-Fi, like libraries, are closed. That’s leaving a lot of people disconnected when they need it most for things like distance learning, job training and filing for unemployment.
There are some requirements for these outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots. You have to stay in your car or make sure you are at least six feet away from anyone else when hopping on the Wi-Fi. County officials promise they will enforce that.
Baltimore County Public Library Director Paula Miller said pre-pandemic a lot of people connected to the internet at the library so the need is there.
The following libraries have the outdoor Wi-Fi:
- Catonsville Branch, 1100 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD 21228
- Essex Branch, 1110 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221
- Hereford Branch, 16940 York Road, Hereford, MD 21111
- Lansdowne Branch, 500 Third Avenue, Lansdowne, MD 21227
- North Point Branch, 1716 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222
- Randallstown Branch, 8604 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD 21133
- Rosedale Branch, 6105 Kenwood Avenue, Rosedale, MD 21237
- Towson Branch, 320 York Road, Towson, MD 21204
- White Marsh Branch, 8133 Sandpiper Circle, Baltimore, MD 21236
- Woodlawn Branch, 1811 Woodlawn Drive, Woodlawn, MD 21207
