The Detroit Department of Innovation and Technology announced the rollout of seven planned Motor City Tech Bars across the city. The Tech Bars are designed to help residents who are experiencing problems with their digital devices.
According to the city, the rollout will occur in three phases over the next year. Once the Tech Bar is opened, Detroit residents will be able to bring in broken laptops, phones, or other smart devices to be fixed, free of charge. Appointments will be available, although not required.
Additionally, each Tech Bar will have recyclable e-waste containers available. In addition to the free device diagnostics and repair, Tech Bars will also offer one-on-one personalized help and digital literacy courses.
Two of the Tech Bars are already open to residents. Once fully opened, there will be at least one Tech Bar in each city council district. The Tech Bars will be located inside the existing Tech Hubs that the city has established to provide greater digital access to residents.
The Tech Bars that are already open are both located inside Detroit Public Libraries. Additional Tech Bars will be located at other community venues, including Rec Centers and community service providers.
“The Detroit Public Library (DPL) has been at the forefront of bridging the digital divide for customers for generations,” Christopher Korenowsky, chief operations and customer experiences officer of the Detroit Library said. “Public libraries began offering access to technology in a concentrated way in the early 1990’s, and DPL has led the charge since that time. DPL is proud to continue to ensure technology access is open to all and free of charge while working with our partners on this digital equity initiative.”
