Case Study: Effingham Public Library bridges the digital divide with Beanstack mobile apps

Mobile Apps Bridge the Digital Divide at Effingham Public Library

Effingham Public Library, serving a rural community in Illinois, faced the challenge of the digital divide, as many of its 12,000 patrons lacked reliable broadband internet access at home. This made it difficult for the library to effectively run its digital reading programs. The library turned to the vendor Beanstack to help modernize its seasonal and year-long reading challenges and provide a more accessible way for patrons to participate.

By implementing the Beanstack mobile app, the library provided a solution that patrons could use on their cell phones without needing home internet. The vendor's platform allowed for easy digital reading logs and helped the library promote the program with tutorials and support. The results were significant: during the 2021 summer reading challenge, 80% of mobile users logged reading at least once, a substantial increase from previous years. The library also saw a 14% growth in active readers on the Beanstack app, demonstrating the solution's success in bridging the digital gap.

Effingham Public Library

Lisa Hutson

Programming and Reference Coordinator