The Kingfisher Memorial Library made history on Thursday, July 30, as state leaders, local officials and community members celebrated the launch of the nation’s first Community Access Portal Program, an innovative effort to bring healthcare, education and workforce services to rural Oklahoma.
The two private portal pods are the first installed as part of the Oklahoma Broadband Office’s $14.5 million initiative to place up to 175 Community Access Portals in libraries across the state. The service is free to the public and available to all Kingfisher County residents. One pod is designed for individual use, while the second is ADA-accessible and can accommodate groups of up to five people.
“This is not only a special day for Kingfisher and Oklahoma, but for the nation,” said Oklahoma Broadband Office Executive Director Mike Sanders. “This is the first technology of its kind in the United States, and we’re doing it right here in Kingfisher.”
Sanders said broadband is about more than internet access. “It’s about connecting people with opportunities,” he said. The portals will allow residents to attend virtual healthcare appointments, mental health counseling, job interviews, workforce training, online college classes, government services and meetings with attorneys or financial advisors without traveling to larger cities.
Library Director Michael Tautkus said the portals provide a secure, private space for services many residents already seek at the library.
The technology, developed by California-based Ready.net, features 4K video, studio-quality audio, soundproofing and frosted glass for privacy. CEO Jase Wilson said the portals were designed to give rural residents access to professional services while keeping all conversations private.
Kingfisher is the first of many Oklahoma communities scheduled to receive the portals. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting officially opening the Community Access Portals to the public.
Photos by AAK Amy Townsend and Jack Quirk.
Watch the complete ceremony at AllAboutKingfisher.com.
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