A statewide initiative of the Illinois Office of Broadband, administered by the Illinois Heartland Library System. It is putting more than 500 laptop kits, plus projectors and OWL video conferencing equipment, into public libraries across all of Illinois, so that every resident can connect, learn, and thrive in the digital world.
Explore Free Resources Library Staff: Get StartedHigh-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it's how we apply for jobs, attend class, see a doctor, and stay connected to the people we love. Yet for too many Illinois households, the cost of a computer stands between them and those opportunities. The Illinois Laptop Lending Program removes that barrier.
Funded through the U.S. Treasury's Capital Projects Fund and led by the Illinois Office of Broadband, this statewide program equips public libraries with modern, secure, ready-to-use laptop kits that power continuing education classes, one-on-one technology help, and comfortable in-library computing for every patron. The Illinois Heartland Library System administers the program on behalf of libraries everywhere in the state.
Brand-new, professionally managed laptop kits, complete with mouse and productivity software, that power continuing education classes, one-on-one patron help, and extra in-library computing when public terminals fill up. Each device resets to a clean, secure state after every use, protecting patron privacy.
Smart 360° OWL cameras bring professional-grade hybrid meetings to library programming rooms, connecting job seekers, community groups, and remote learners face-to-face with the wider world.
Portable projectors let libraries of every size host digital literacy workshops, training sessions, and community events that put technology within everyone's reach.
Long-term device placements target high-poverty areas, seniors, ESL learners, and households where affordability remains the biggest barrier to broadband adoption.
Devices come paired with free digital literacy resources and library-led training, so patrons don't just get connected — they get confident.
The Illinois regional library systems' statewide delivery network (the same trusted service that moves millions of library items every year) is what makes lending equipment across 102 counties possible. Without it, a program like this simply couldn't work.
Public libraries have always been the great equalizer. With this program, they become launchpads to the digital economy. One borrowed laptop, one workshop, one connection at a time.
See How Your Library Can ParticipateThe Illinois Laptop Lending Program is a statewide initiative of the Illinois Office of Broadband and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, administered by the Illinois Heartland Library System on behalf of public libraries throughout Illinois. It is funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (Assistance Listing 21.029), part of a nationwide effort to ensure every American has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet and the devices and skills to use it.
Special credit belongs to the Illinois regional library systems and their statewide interlibrary delivery service. That delivery infrastructure is the backbone that lets laptops, projectors, and OWL equipment reach any public library in Illinois quickly and at no cost to the borrowing library. This program stands on that foundation.