Exploring Innovative Library Partnerships and New Collaborations in Kansas City’s Digital Ecosystem
KC Coalition for Digital Inclusion April Meeting Recap
Written by Peter Arvanitakis, edited by Leslie Scott and Leah Henriksen.
Apr. 3, 2026 – The April 2026 Kansas City Coalition for Digital Inclusion meeting celebrated the vital role that libraries play in digital inclusion, showcasing partnerships that enhance digital access and skills training. Featured content included a presentation from Paula Eatmon-Johnson with Scholar Smarts. There was a facilitated panel of libraries which included: Laura Pellegrino (Kansas City Kansas Public Library), Morgan Menefee (Paola Free Library), and Sav Russell and Bryan Voell (Johnson County Public Library).
Member Spotlight: Scholar Smarts
Pauline Eatmon-Johnson from Scholar Smarts highlighted the significance of partnerships in enabling their non-brick-and-mortar model. Their school-to-career afterschool program thrives through collaborations, offering rotating workshops at Penn Valley Community College, UMKC, and various trade locations.
Distinctively, Scholar Smarts guarantees program participants free digital devices upon completion, a unique incentive resulting in 27 graduates from their fourth Youth Workforce Academy cohort.
Their Infinite Scholar partnership is set to bring a national HBCU college fair model to Kansas City for the fourth year on October 24, anticipated to draw over 300 students from across the metro area.
Featured Content: Library Panel
This month’s Kansas City Coalition for Digital Inclusion (KCCDI) meeting emphasized the integral role libraries play in digital inclusion. The panel featured:
- Laura Pellegrino, Kansas City, Kansas Public Library
- Morgan Menefee, Paola Free Library
- Sav Russell, Johnson County Public Library
- Bryan Voell, Johnson County Public Library
Library Partnership Models
Kansas library systems showcased diverse partnership initiatives, illustrating their pivotal role in the digital ecosystem.
KCK Public Library’s emerging technologies librarian has forged a partnership with the Latinx Education Collaborative and EducaTec to cater to Spanish speakers with no English proficiency needing computer assistance. Bilingual staff, compensated at premium rates, provide one-on-one tech help to these patrons.
Laura shared an image from the KCKPL Main Branch Structural Assessment & Feasibility document (link here) that showed the library service area that tangentially follows the school district lines. Serving 156,000 residents where 65.6% are people of color (34% White Non-Hispanic, 35% Hispanic, 20% Black Non-Hispanic, 11% Other Non-Hispanic) and 17.9% live in poverty (nearly double the regional average of 9.9%), KCK Library faces unique challenges.
Director of Public Libraries Laura Pellegrino shared that they often start at the very beginning: “We get patrons who come in and we’ll say, ‘Sit at a computer, we’ll help you,’ and when you say something like ‘click your mouse,’ they might say, ‘What do you mean, what does that mean to click?’” Yet KCK Public library also serves patrons learning AI Strategies, a testament to the diverse digital literacy needs in their community.
Source:
KCKPL MAIN BRANCH STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT & FEASIBILITY. 2025. https://kckps.community.highbond.com/document/fb64a3d0-8c57-42d5-b323-15308ae24d8/.
Paola Free Library demonstrated strategic partnership with its foundation board, which was crucial when E-Rate funding was removed for their 19 Verizon hotspots. The board ensured uninterrupted connectivity service continuity.
Morgan Menefee, Director of Paola Free Library, noted a common challenge: scheduled tech help sessions often sit empty, while on-demand support creates staffing bottlenecks. “Most of my staff can help with most of the problems,” she explained, “but it can create some staffing issues when we end up with a line of people waiting while we try to get [someone] on her phone.”
Paola serves approximately 5,800 residents but maintains 5,221 registered patrons, including many from neighboring Spring Hill while their branch is closed for renovations.
Paola is also expanding accessibility services through a grant application for reading pens (devices that read text aloud when dragged over print), screen magnifiers, and Leap Pens for children. These tools target patrons with low vision who aren’t ready for audiobooks but need assistance, filling a critical gap in accessible reading technology.
Johnson County Library has a new “Book a Librarian” service, which addresses a previously unmet need. Librarian Brian Voell explained, “Up until recently, we had the inability of our staff to spend one-on-one time with patrons just focusing on the tech kind of questions… if we don’t know what your question is or we’re not prepared for it and we’ve got a line, it’s really challenging.”
The service handles everything from email creation to app troubleshooting, including common confusion like why Kindles can’t access Hoopla, a service offering free access to books, videos, and music to library patrons.
All three libraries also reported offering printing services and digital resource guides highlighting job and career-building tools, video tutorials through platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and Brainfuse, though getting patrons comfortable navigating to these resources remains an ongoing challenge.
Community Announcements
Available Program Now: Digitunity and AT&T Device Distribution
KC Digital Drive announced a partnership opportunity with Digitunity, where any organizations can apply to train at least 55 learners through a minimum of three 45-minute workshops using AT&T’s curriculum to qualify participants for free refurbished devices.
How it works:
- Organizations capable of reaching 55 learners independently can serve as primary partners.
- Smaller-scale organizations can join KCDD’s coordinated network to collectively reach the 55-learner threshold, demonstrating how coalition structures empower smaller organizations to access opportunities save for larger entities.
- AT&T developed the curriculum, with Digitunity managing distribution and partner coordination.
Timeline is urgent: The initiative, launched last fall, must be completed by August 21. Any organization delivering digital skills training or wanting to embark on offering it is encouraged to apply.
Interested organizations should contact:
- Email Donna Fuentes at donna@digitunity.org if you’re interested in this program. Website is here: https://sites.google.com/digitunity.org/connectedlearning24/home
- Email Leslie Scott at KC Digital Drive (lscott@kcdigitaldrive.org) for the coordinated network approach.
Other Partner Updates
Jewish Vocational Services is launching a Digital & Financial Skills course aimed at equipping refugees and immigrants with practical life skills in the U.S. The free course covers essential apps, navigating public benefits, budgeting, fundamental tax principles, useful websites, and safe AI usage.
Course Details:
- Schedule: Every Thursday, available in person or online.
- Duration: 2-hour sessions with a 10-minute break.
- Eligibility: Must live in the Kansas City area, be age 18+, and have a good level of English, along with basic computer and smartphone knowledge.
- Registration: Contact Sayeed Khaledi at skhaledi@jvskc.org or 816-877-2312.
Want to get involved?
Visit digitalinclusionkc.org to learn more, sign up for updates, or watch past meetings. Membership is free. Join us for the next meeting, which will be virtual on May 1 from 10 a.m.-noon. If you’re not yet on the distribution list, please email Leslie Scott to be added.