Chicago residents have a broad set of free options for getting online and building digital skills, and the single most accessible route runs through the Chicago Public Library. Any city resident can use public computers and free Wi-Fi at the library's branches, cardholders can take home Wi-Fi hotspots for three weeks, and a library card number and PIN unlocks free LinkedIn Learning courses. The main caution: Chicago Connected, the city's high-profile free internet program for students, is not open to new families right now, so residents who hear about it should not expect to sign up.
Free Internet and Digital Skills in Chicago: An Overview
Chicago's free digital resources fall into two categories. The first is broadly available public infrastructure, chiefly the Chicago Public Library system. Through a partnership between the city's Department of Innovation & Technology and CPL, the library describes itself as the number one provider of free internet access in the city, making more than 3,000 public computers available for resident use across 81 branches.
The second category is limited-enrollment programming aimed at specific groups. Chicago Connected, launched in June 2020, provides no-cost broadband access to pre-K–12 students and their families, and the City of Chicago later expanded eligibility to City Colleges of Chicago students. But its enrollment door is currently closed, which makes the library's open-access resources the practical default for most residents seeking help today.
Chicago's Free Digital Access Programs at a Glance
The table below categorizes the main programs by who they serve and what they actually provide, so you can match your situation to the right next step in under a minute.
| Resource/Program | Who It's For | What It Provides | How to Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPL on-site access | Any Chicago resident | Over 3,000 public computers and free Wi-Fi | Visit any of the 81 branches; computer availability varies by branch and time |
| CPL "Internet to Go" | Chicago residents with an active adult CPL card | Borrowable Wi-Fi hotspots (and laptop lending), three-week loan | Borrow at selected branches; return to the Circulation Desk at the borrowing branch |
| CPL online learning (LinkedIn Learning) | Any Chicago resident with a CPL card | Thousands of courses on business, creative and technology topics, including certification and continuing-education tracks | Sign in with library card number and PIN through the CPL website or mobile app |
| Chicago Connected | Families currently enrolled (originally pre-K–12 CPS students, later expanded to City Colleges students) | Free high-speed internet access | Closed to new enrollment; continuing only for currently enrolled families through SY26-27 |
Chicago Public Library: Your Hub for Free Digital Access
For most Chicagoans, the library is the place to start. Beyond the public computers and branch Wi-Fi, Chicago Public Library offers a wide range of online resources and tools available around the clock, whether you are just getting started on computers, learning to use a new mobile device, or trying out a new website or web tool.
The standout for skills training is LinkedIn Learning, which the library makes available for free with your library card number and PIN. The platform carries thousands of videos and courses led by industry professionals on business, creative and technology topics, including professional certifications and continuing education tracks. Coverage runs from Microsoft Office basics to more advanced subjects like coding, and the service offers content in numerous languages, including English, Spanish and Chinese, with apps on both Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Understanding the 'Internet to Go' Hotspot Lending Program
If you need internet at home rather than at a branch, Internet to Go lets eligible residents take connectivity with them. A Wi-Fi hotspot is a portable device that connects a laptop, smartphone or tablet to the internet, so you can get online wherever you are — at home, on the bus or in the park. According to the library's lending rules, a resident of Chicago with an active adult Chicago Public Library card may borrow a hotspot from selected branches for three weeks.
Two practical rules govern the loans. A device may be renewed if no one else has placed it on hold, and renewals must be done by library staff, so ask at the desk rather than assuming an online renewal will work. The hotspot must be returned to the Circulation Desk of the branch where it was borrowed, and the device will be turned off — with its wireless service terminated — if it is not returned on the due date.
The hotspots work anywhere covered by the T-Mobile 3G, 4G LTE or 5G network, so check that your area has coverage. The program lists participating branches across the city, including Austin, Brighton Park, Chinatown, Humboldt Park/Douglass, Greater Grand Crossing, King, Legler Regional, Woodson Regional and others, with the library noting the program targets areas of Chicago with low broadband availability.
Chicago Connected: Program Status and Eligibility
Chicago Connected began in June 2020 as a response to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, a partnership among the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, Kids First Chicago, United Way of Metro Chicago, philanthropic funders and roughly two dozen community-based organizations, set out to provide no-cost broadband access to pre-K–12 students along with digital learning support for their families. City Colleges of Chicago reported that the initiative later expanded to its students, adding roughly 3,000 more to the thousands already served.
The current status is the part that matters most to a reader weighing options today. The City of Chicago is funding Chicago Connected for another year — SY26-27 — for families currently enrolled, and the program states plainly that no new families can enroll at this time. The CPS Parent Tech Support Hotline was discontinued on October 1, 2026. If you are already in the program, your service continues; if you are not, this is not a route available to you right now, and the library's offerings are the working alternative.
Next Steps to Get Connected and Learn
Start with a library card if you do not have one, since it is the key to hotspot borrowing and the free online learning platforms. Without a card you can still walk into any of the 81 branches and use the public computers and free Wi-Fi, though availability varies by branch and time of day. To borrow a hotspot, confirm your nearest participating branch before visiting, bring your active adult card, and plan around the three-week loan period and the staff-assisted renewal policy.
Your Path to Digital Access and Skills in Chicago
Chicago residents seeking free internet or digital skills training should prioritize the Chicago Public Library's resources — public computers, Internet to Go hotspots and free online learning platforms — because they are available to any resident cardholder, in contrast to Chicago Connected's closed enrollment. Families already in Chicago Connected keep their service through SY26-27, but new applicants should head to a CPL branch instead. The measurable next step is concrete: get a CPL library card, then use it to access a public computer, borrow a hotspot from a participating branch, or sign into LinkedIn Learning and start a course — each one a verifiable marker that you are connected and learning for free.
Sources
- Build Your Digital Skills With Library Resources — Chipublib
- Borrow a WiFi Hotspot from Chicago Public Library — Chipublib
- Chicago Connected — CPS
- Chicago Connected Expands to Offer No-cost Internet to City Colleges Students - CCC
- Internet to Go WiFi Lending — Chipublib
- Wi-Fi Hotspot Device — Chicago Public Library
- CITY OF CHICAGO PRESS RELEASE — Corporate
