Join Mayor Michael Nutter, KEYSPOT, Free Library, Knight Foundation and Technically Philly for the public launch of Connect Philly

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it once more: helping bridge the digital divide in Philadelphia will need to be a concerted city effort. As vital members of Philadelphia’s technology community, you can help.

Join Technically Philly, the City of Philadelphia, KEYSPOT (Powered by the Freedom Rings Partnership), the Knight Foundation and the Free Library of Philadelphia for the launch of Connect Philly at City Hall’s Conversation Hall on April 5 at 3:00 p.m.

Mayor Michael Nutter and the Knight Foundation’s Donna Frisby-Greenwood will help kick-off the launch of the new set of tools, followed by a panel discussion about digital access in Philadelphia. Experts in the fields of broadband infrastructure and broadband adoption will help us understand how Philly is working to bridge the digital divide.

Earlier this month, we announced Connect Philly, a new set of tools which can help citizens find free and affordable access to the Internet and computer training.

The response has been astounding: citizens and stakeholders have come forward to express their intent to spread the word, to help make sure this tool gets in the hands of those that need it most.

Our panel will include Siobhan Reardon, President & Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia; Brigitte Daniel, Executive Vice President, Wilco Electronic Systems, Charles Kaylor, Visiting Assistant Professor at Temple University; and Bryan Mercer of Media Mobilizing Project.

The event is graciously catered by Saxbys Rittenhouse, which is doing its part to bridge the divide by providing free computer workstation access, free printing and more.

At the panel, we’d like to learn how far have we come since a 2008 report that 40% of Philadelphia households lack access to the Internet. What has changed? What can be improved? RSVP here to discuss.

ABOUT CONNECT PHILLY

Connect Philly is an interactive map that visualizes neighborhood-level broadband access, along with showing more than 200 locations that provide Internet access in Philadelphia: recreation centers, library branches, computer centers, retail storefronts and more. See it live now at http://connect.technicallyphilly.com

Using any mobile phone, citizens can send their address by text message to find the closest available Internet access point. Try it now: type an address in an SMS message (i.e. “1515 Market St.”) to 215-240-7296. In a matter of seconds, you’ll be able to find the closest location that provides free, or nearly free, access to the Internet.