Applications are now being accepted for the third session of technology classes at the Athol Public Library as part of the Council on Aging and Library’s Embrace Technology grant project. The free classes are open to anyone age 60 and older who lives in Athol or the Quabbin region and wants to improve their digital skills and online experience.

Former participants report that they have gained more confidence in their abilities and encourage others to apply.

Each participant receives a brand new Apple iPad to use in class and at home. The scholarship also provides the participant with internet access at home through the long-term loan of a WiFi hotspot.

The workshop begins Thursday, September 12 and runs through October 31. Classes are held once a week on eight Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Athol Public Library. Each week will cover a different topic including: getting to know your iPad, email, making the most of the Internet, online banking and cybersecurity, online health, social media, staying connected, and entertainment and hobbies. To ensure individual attention, workshop size is limited to six participants.

Interested applicants must complete an application (available from the COA or APL) and submit it to either location by Thursday, August 15. Participants will be selected by lottery from among qualified applicants.

For more information about the workshop, Wi-Fi hotspots, or private instruction, call the COA at 988-249-8986 or the library at 988-249-9515.

This project is supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to improve digital literacy among older adults. This grant relies on funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) aimed at strengthening, improving, and expanding Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) in the Commonwealth.