
The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) at the University of Connecticut School of Public Policy convened public library leaders, researchers, and community partners this week at the UConn Hartford campus to officially launch ReconnectCT: Digital Pathways Program, a statewide initiative aimed at expanding digital access and technology education for people who are currently incarcerated or returning to Connecticut communities after incarceration.
The kickoff summit brought together more than 35 participants representing library partners, evaluation teams, technical assistance providers, and community collaborators to align program goals, strengthen partnerships, and begin implementing the initiative across participating sites.
“It was a great event for partners to meet, to network, and learn from each other,” said ReConnect CT project lead Irvine Peck’s-Agaya.
ReConnectCT: Digital Pathways is supported by $3.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding through the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management’s Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division. The initiative addresses a growing digital divide that limits access to education, employment, health care, and essential services for justice-impacted individuals.
Research conducted through the Connecticut Center for Digital Equity Research has highlighted the significant barriers many incarcerated individuals face in accessing technology and building digital skills. As everyday activities increasingly move online – from job applications to health care systems – people returning from incarceration often face additional obstacles navigating a technology-centric society.
ReConnectCT aims to close this gap through a comprehensive strategy that combines digital literacy education, expanded technology access, and partnerships with public libraries, higher education institutions, and reentry organizations across the state.
The program includes a Digital Pathways curriculum designed to teach practical skills such as basic computer use, internet navigation and online safety, digital communication, job searching and applications, and accessing essential services online.
Public libraries play a central role in this effort. Through a competitive funding process, several Connecticut libraries are launching initiatives to expand services and digital literacy opportunities for justice-impacted individuals in their communities.

Among the early partners are the Hartford Public Library, which will expand digital literacy, financial literacy, and reentry support services in correctional facilities, halfway houses, and neighborhood library branches; the Hamden Public Library, which will offer digital navigation courses, individualized coaching, and legal resource programming; and the Douglas Library, which will expand technology access, digital learning resources, and workforce readiness services in a rural community; and Fairfield University’s DiMenna-Nyselius Library, which will provide hands-on digital literacy workshops and technology access for individuals returning from incarceration through a partnership with EMERGE Connecticut.
Tuesday’s kick-off included a presentation from the Brooklyn (NY) Public Library that demonstrated the scope and reach of their current projects, and how similar programs have been replicated across the country.
“This is new for us in Connecticut,” said Peck’s-Agaya. “Hearing what Brooklyn (Public Library – Outreach Service Department for Justice Initiatives) has done firsthand from people who have utilized the service and are now working at the library showed what’s possible. Many of our partner libraries are inspired to further expand their service proposals based on opportunities they can now envision.”
The initiative also includes partnerships with higher education institutions and reentry programs to support digital readiness and technology access for formerly incarcerated students continuing their education. Current partners include the Yale School of Medicine, Unlocked Labs, Urban Institute, and Full Citizen’s Coalition.
“The technical assistance discussion set the tone that support will be ongoing, which made the process feel more team-oriented,” said IMRP Policy and Research intern Leslie Sical, who assisted with the planning of the kickoff event. “Having been part of ReConnect CT from its inception, it’s rewarding to see partners come together with a shared understanding of the goals and a willingness to work through the details together.”
By bringing together libraries, educators, and community organizations and pairing them with technical support services, ReconnectCT seeks to expand opportunities, strengthen reentry outcomes, and build long-term partnerships that advance digital equity across Connecticut.
“Partners in the state are accepting this bold vision and moving forward with normalizing their services inside prisons and halfway houses,” said Peck’s-Agaya, who notes the work is just getting started. “After a year and a half of planning, I’m really excited to see the program come to fruition.”
















