Supercharging Digital Skills with $55,000 Arkansas Library Grant

Comcast Grants $55,000 to Central Arkansas Library System Foundation to Expand Digital Skills Training

Comcast today announced a $55,000 grant to the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) to support its Digital Literacy Guides Program, a community initiative that helps residents build digital skills and access essential technology resources.

During a check presentation held at the newly renovated Main Library in downtown Little Rock, Comcast joined CALS leaders and community partners to celebrate this investment in digital learning and access across Central Arkansas.

The CALS Digital Literacy Guides Program provides free one-on-one assistance and group instructions to residents seeking help with technology. The guides work directly with patrons to teach new skills, troubleshoot devices, and make technology more approachable – serving approximately 1,450 patrons annually through individual sessions and group classes. The guides are based at CALS’s Dee Brown and McMath branches, but they meet with community members at every branch in the Central Arkansas Library System.

“Access to technology and the skills to use it effectively are essential in today’s world,” said Nate Coulter, Executive Director of the Central Arkansas Library System. “Comcast’s funding for our Digital Literacy Guides Program will help us continue to connect residents with the tools and training they need to thrive.”

The grant will help CALS expand access to digital resources, enhance technology training programs, and upgrade computer labs. In 2024, the program hosted more than 90 in person and online classes, covering topics such as Adobe Creative Suite and Canva design tools.

“Libraries like CALS are the heartbeat of their communities – they connect people to knowledge and opportunity,” said Mike McArdle, Regional Senior Vice President at Comcast. “When we invest in programs like Digital Navigators, we’re investing in people, helping them gain the confidence and skills to fully participate in today’s digital world. That’s the kind of impact that lasts well beyond a single grant.”

As the largest public library system in Arkansas, CALS serves more than 344,000 people – approximately 11% of the state’s population across urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods. Through its programs and partnerships, CALS continues to make learning, technology, and opportunity accessible for all.

This grant is part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion initiative to connect people to the internet, provide digital opportunity and advance economic mobility.