Photo: Robs | Unsplash
Jean Armour Polly, a former librarian and pioneer in integrating computers into libraries, played a crucial role in revolutionizing access to information in the digital age. Despite initial skepticism, Polly championed the idea of public computing in libraries, starting with the installation of an Apple II Plus in a small library in Liverpool, N.Y, in 1981. She later facilitated the provision of free internet access to the public in 1992, navigating the challenges of the early internet era alongside local librarians who assisted users in their online endeavors. Polly's contribution to popularizing the term "surfing the internet" through her writing and advocacy led to her induction into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2019. While retired from librarianship, Polly remains optimistic about the future of libraries as bastions of intellectual freedom, despite facing challenges such as book bans.
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