Here's what you need to know and how libraries and citizens can get involved.

Amounts rounded to the nearest dollar.

E-Rate funding is vital, helping Yale Public Library provide affordable, high-speed internet for the residents of Yale and surrounding towns. Many customers count on this small, rural library for connectivity. Reliable access means being able to apply for jobs, complete schoolwork, access online classes, connect with healthcare, and so much more. 

Yale’s internet services open new doors to learning. Students of all ages thrive with online tutoring tools and build lifelong tech skills. Adults and seniors use library internet for workforce development as well as to keep up to date on government services and voter registration. Yale Library empowers seniors to navigate the digital world with confidence through AARP webinars. 

E-Rate funding makes it all financially possible. Without E-Rate, Yale staff would face difficult decisions about internet service capacity and technology offerings, resulting in limited access to services that the community depends on. The number of customers lacking access to consistent internet outside of the library is high. From a digital checkout system to grant applications and annual reports, Yale’s library also relies on E-Rate funding for day-to-day functionality and administrative tasks. 

High-speed internet is no longer an extra service provided by libraries—it is a staple that supports education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation. E-Rate funding allows Yale Public Library to continue serving as a trusted and accessible technology resource for the entire community.

Having navigated budget changes in the past, staff at Ingersoll Public Library know firsthand how deeply customers would be impacted by the loss of E-Rate funding. As more seniors re-enter the workforce for various reasons, many lack the knowledge or home technology to apply for jobs. Thanks to funding support for internet connectivity in rural Oklahoma, these individuals can come right in, draft a resume, and explore opportunities.

“We are so incredibly grateful for this funding,” Ingersoll’s director shares. “I can’t even begin to imagine how different our services would look if E-Rate was no longer an option.”

Open 30 hours a week, Sayre Public Library is a small but vital hub serving the rural community. Customers visit the library often, printing documents and connecting with digital resources. If Sayre took on the full price of internet connectivity while navigating other obstacles like rising costs, budget adjustments could reduce service hours, cut staffing, and impact utilities. 

E-Rate helps rural libraries cost-effectively maintain their services as primary access points for technology resources. Sayre’s library relies on this support to keep their doors open, meet daily needs, and help community members achieve their life goals.

The FCC is asking for public comment. Here's how libraries and the public can get involved.

• File a comment with the FCC by October 13, 2026. The tools at SaveOurERate.com make it straightforward to share your story about how E-Rate supports connectivity in your school, library or community. The action center includes tools and talking points for writing to and meeting with your representatives and senators.

• Contact your members of Congress. 

• Tell your friends, colleagues, and local decision-makers about E-Rate and how libraries rely on it.

Help spread the word about the importance of E-Rate to Oklahoma libraries and communities. Download and share these ready-to-use graphics and flyer to help raise awareness about E-Rate and its impact on library connectivity and services.

E-Rate data was obtained from the USAC E-Rate Search Commitments Tool.