DETROIT – Have you ever faced issues with your personal devices, like a laptop or a phone, and didn’t know where to turn for help?
The city of Detroit is collaborating with its partners to make it easier for residents to access tech support.
On any given day, the computer stations at the Detroit Public Library’s Douglass Branch are bustling with activity.
“We are hopping all day, every day,” said Joyce Krom, Douglass Branch Manager.
This library is one of three tech centers in the city, offering computer labs and specialized programming.
“We have a lot of opportunities for residents to access technology here,” Krom said.
In exciting news for Detroit residents, access to technology resources is expanding across the city.
The city of Detroit, along with Human-I-T, is launching Motor City Tech Bars.
These are sites where residents can bring in items like laptops, cell phones, and other tech devices to have them serviced for free.
Keonda Buford, Detroit’s Digital Equity and Inclusion Manager, said, “We know that our residents don’t necessarily have disposable income to fix their tech. So, if we can help them in that way, that’s what these tech bars do.”
The Motor City Tech Bars will be located at select public libraries, recreation centers, or community centers across the city’s seven council districts.
Detroit resident Eugene Harris recently took his cell phone to a Motor City Tech Bar and was pleased with the service.
“Most people that come in here have limited access and knowledge of what I-Tech does,” Harris explained. “But it’s a good resource for the public.”
The pilot Motor City Tech Labs are open at the Detroit Public Library’s Douglass Branch, 3666 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226, and the Detroit Public Library Redford branch, 21200 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI 48219.
Other locations will be opening at Stoudamire Wellness Hub, MACC Development, International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, Adams Butzel Recreation Center Complex, and Comcast Lift Zone at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan -Dick & Sandy Dauch Club.
“The patrons that we have, that come to our library, they are looking for support in that tech field,” said Annette Lotharp. Redford Branch Manager. “This particular partnership will help fill that gap we have, and it’s going to be awesome.”
More Motor City Tech Lab sites are expected to officially open by June 2025. You can reach Tech Bars by calling 888-391-7249 or by using the online request form here.