A contract agreement has been renewed for reduced-rate internet access at the Apache Junction Public Library.
The council voted unanimously Jan. 7 to renew the contract with the Pinal County Technology Consortium.
The consortium provides affordable telecommunications and information services to Pinal County schools and libraries by way of the federal E-Rate program, Library Director Pam Harrison told the council prior to the vote.
“It offers substantial discounts on telecommunications and internet access to eligible schools and public libraries, which we are one,” she said.
Internet access costs $179.91 a month for the library under the program, Harrison said.
A letter of agency was signed in 2019 by the previous library director and it needs to be renewed for funding years 2024-35, she said.
“Our consortium membership gives us an 83% discount rate on telecommunications; that gives us up to 10 gigabits per second interface speed, which is really fast,” Harrison said.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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