High-speed internet access is one of the goals of the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance.
So helping a local library provide that access to its users was an easy decision for the Alliance.
Ignacio Community Library qualifies for the E-Rate program, which provides funding for internet service to schools and libraries under the Federal Communications Commission. It doesn’t cover all of the library’s $500 monthly internet bill, said Marcia Vining, the library director. Facing a $170,000 drop in revenue in 2017 because of a drop in property tax revenues, the library was looking for ways to cut costs and cover expenses.
The Alliance board voted to step in and cover the remaining cost.
The Alliance works to recruit businesses to Durango that pay higher-than-average wages and don’t need a lot of infrastructure or proximity to a big city.
“We want to attract companies with 15 to 20 employees from Dallas or Chicago, who want to be near Navajo Reservoir, the San Juan River and in our climate,” said Chris McCroskey, chairman of the Alliance and a founder of Idea Loop, a software company that relocated to Durango from Texas. “We’ve got to have the infrastructure for it, and it has to be in the rural areas, not just the center of Durango.”
Visiting the library with Roger Zalneraitis, director of the Alliance, McCroskey was impressed with the speed of the library’s internet connections. He said it could be ideal, for example, for a freelancer needing to upload a large video file.
Several users come to the library to use the system to apply for jobs, because the Internet speed is much faster than what’s available at many area homes, Vining said.
She also showed the two representatives some computer modifications for people for disabilities the library acquired about six months ago. A huge monitor can be raised and lowered on a separate level from the desk, which is also adjustable. A larger keyboard with big yellow letters is easier for some people with visual impairments to use. A large mouse can cradle an entire hand for people with paralysis. There also are special pointer tools that fit over hands, allowing users to type even if their fingers can’t move.
“They’re minor adjustments, but if you need them, they’re really important,” Vining said.
McCroskey said growing up, his local library provided information about the world beyond his hometown in East Texas.
“We’ve got to have players like the library, and opportunities to work in your hometown,” McCroskey said. “That’s why we thought we should help, why we wanted to help.”
