Visitors to any of Kent’s 99 libraries can now get online with free Wi-Fi.

It has been made possible after Kent County Council secured full funding from Arts Council England to complete the roll-out of free Wi-Fi across all library buildings in the county.

Of the 99 libraries in Kent, 33 already provide free Wi-Fi.

Mike Hill joined library customers this week to celebrate the roll out of free WiFi across the county

The grant, provided as part of the ‘Wi-Fi in Public Libraries in England’ initiative administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, now means that the remaining 66 are all Wi-Fi-enabled.

Mike Hill, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Kent County Council said: “Free Wi-Fi in all our libraries is great news for residents.

“It means anyone in Kent can visit their local library and use our Wi-Fi for free on their own laptop, smartphone or tablet PC.

“This is another great example of how libraries are not just about books – they are safe places where people can connect with others, study, research, and become part of their community.

“It is good news especially for people living in rural areas and smaller villages where Wi-Fi is less available than in larger towns.”

As well as the roll-out of free Wi-Fi, Kent Libraries also provide free access to computers for people who might not have their own equipment, and “IT Buddy” sessions to help people get online.

The new provision also means more people can access a vast range of online library service, such as free online subscriptions (newspapers, journals, encyclopaedias, business resources etc) and the online library catalogue which contains almost half a million books, DVDs and CDs, available via a free click-and-collect reservation service.