Resources During COVID-19

Reduced or Free Meal/ Food Locators

Internet Access

  • FCC agreement stating that providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots.
  • Comcast COVID-19 response Xfinity WiFi Public Hotspots are now open to everyone on the “xfinitywifi” SSID.
  • Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months
  • AT&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low income families
  • Verizon COVID-19 response: no special offers, but following the FCC agreement.
  • Verizon Internet for Low Income Households
  • Sprint COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).
  • T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).
  • Utilizing UMBC wireless safely
    • UMBC will be making part of the Admin parking lot wifi-enabled; you can drive up and connect (check this page for updates on the exact location). Other resources are below.
  • Using eduroam wireless throughout the state
    • UMBC is part of the eduroam wireless network which allows you to access wireless for free at various museums, universities and other venues. The same wifi network that we have at UMBC, if you have connected eduroam at UMBC, you can find the full list of locations at the US eduroam site. 
    • UMBC has instructions for connecting to eduroam available for all types of devices through the UMBC Eduroam FAQ

Financial Resources

 

Resources for Assistance with Utility Bills

  • The Maryland Public Service Commission’s utility shut-off moratorium expired on October 1, and shut-offs resumed as of November 15. If you need assistance with paying your utility bills, there are resources available:

 

Shelters and Emergency  Services

Please note that there are certain stipulations involved while staying in a shelter. Usually it means you are given a bed, you are supposed to store your belongings underneath the bed etc. Prior to arrival please check with the shelter staff you are intending to stay at.

Mental & Physical Health

Learning Resources

STEM Teaching Resources (Simulations and models)

Teaching Resources and Tools

Museums, Zoos and other Fun Online Resources

Library of Congress

For Educators: Classroom Materials & Online Office Hours

Explore Digital Collections

  • Dive into the Library’s digital collections to explore just about any topic imaginable. Click through historical portraits and cityscape photographs, listen to sound recordings and oral histories, study American history and world cultures, discover local history and folklife traditions, explore maps, music, manuscripts and so much more. With digitized collections of more than 2.4 million items, it’s all at your fingertips.

Coronavirus Resource Guide

  • This is intended as a guide to laws, regulations and executive actions in the United States, at both the federal and the state level, and in various countries with respect to the new coronavirus and its spread. It also includes links to the Library’s Congressional Research Service reports that provide information to Congress about the novel coronavirus. In addition, we provide links to relevant federal agency websites.

Ask a Librarian – Open for (Online) Business

  • Most of the Library’s reference librarians are now teleworking in response to the coronavirus pandemic. But our Ask a Librarian service remains open! Submit questions to receive research or reference help.

 

Blogs or Sites with Multiple Resources

UMBC Resources

How to give or volunteer during this time: Maryland Unites: Responding to COVID-19

How Marylanders can help during this time

updated 2021 October 18