January 29, 2008 New Award to Fund Library Projects in Developing Countries The Andrew Carnegie of the developing world will double libraries created

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. -- With the help of a $3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Libraries initiative, READ Global intends to double the number of libraries, triple the number of countries in which it operates and bring the number of people whose lives it touches to about two million.

To read the full press release, visit the READ Global, Inc. Web site.

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.