Libraries

Access to the Internet can change people’s lives.

Northern or southern hemisphere, big city or distant village—the Internet provides opportunities for people to improve their lives. When people go online, they can get health facts, use government services, manage finances, look for jobs, do research for school and work, and keep in touch. In the United States, where Internet access has been more widely available, going online also enables people to participate more fully in the social and economic fabric of their communities and make meaningful contributions to society.

For many in the United States and for most in developing countries, quality Internet access is not available or affordable.

Millions of low-income Americans don’t have computers at home and couldn’t afford monthly Internet fees even if they did. Worldwide, 5 billion people—most of them in developing countries—have no access to the Internet.

Public libraries offer free Internet access and computer training.

Libraries are centrally located, open to all, and charge no fees. Library staff give people access to learning tools and guidance on how to use them.

But libraries struggle to get connected and to stay connected to the Internet.

In a developing country like Romania, only 411 computers in all 2,933 public libraries are connected to the Internet. In U.S. libraries, people can now reach the Internet for free—but 60 percent of public libraries struggle to keep equipment and training up to date.

U.S. libraries face shrinking budgets even as Internet use grows.

More than 70 percent of those who use library computers say it’s their primary source for connecting to the Internet. Yet revenues at one-third of public libraries are shrinking. As a result, staff get less training in computer skills, people wait to use outdated computers, and slow Internet connections can’t handle streaming video.

In developing countries, few libraries offer Internet access and most people have no way to reach the Internet on their own.

Some developing countries may not have a library system in place. Supplying electricity may be a challenge for others. In other places there are no regional suppliers of high-speed Internet connections. Even in places that have Internet cafes and similar fee-based businesses, Internet services are often very expensive.

We’re working to narrow the digital divide in the United States and over a dozen countries around the world.

Next: Our Approach

In both the United States and various countries around the world, we're supporting efforts to supply and sustain free public access to computers and the Internet. We're funding programs that evaluate local technology needs, purchase equipment, train library staff, and help libraries build public support for long-term funding in the following ways:

Benefit from lessons learned.

Our work to provide free computers and Internet access started with public libraries in the United States and then extended internationally. We learned both in the U.S. and abroad that it is much easier to install computers and Internet connections than it is to sustain them. Libraries need long-term funding plans to keep up Internet equipment and services. That lesson shapes our ongoing work with U.S. libraries and informs our international strategies.

Understand local needs.

In the United States: We're funding technology improvements in libraries with the greatest need—libraries that serve poor communities and whose computers and Internet services are at risk of becoming outdated.

Globally: Different countries have different needs, capabilities, and priorities. We're working with our library and government partners to create programs that are sensitive to local and national conditions.

Work with committed partners.

In the United States: Participating libraries commit to match part of the foundation's grants with funds they raise locally from public and private donors. They also participate in training designed to increase their confidence and the skills needed to seek additional, ongoing support.

Globally: Government partners demonstrate that they are willing and able to commit resources to support libraries now and in the future. Our current partners are Chile, Mexico, Botswana, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, and Vietnam.

Provide up-to-date hardware and fast Internet connections.

In the United States: We're funding matching grants to libraries in two phases. Hardware grants will replace and add computer workstations. Connectivity grants will fund high-speed connections to the Internet.

Globally: We're funding pilot programs and grants to purchase hardware. Our partner, Microsoft, donates software if the country requests it. Each country makes a significant investment for infrastructure, librarian salaries, and Internet connections.

Train library staff to use, maintain, and introduce technology.

In the United States: We're making technology training available online to library staff in all 50 states through an on-line community called WebJunction.

Globally: We're funding training so that library staff are able to develop and teach computer and Internet skills—along with technical support to set up, maintain, and evaluate the effectiveness of new technology.

Encourage public support for free access to computers and the Internet.

In the United States: We're funding research, training, and tools to help library supporters explain how technology improves life in the community and why the free services deserve steady public funding.

Globally: We're working with our partners to demonstrate and communicate the benefits of providing free public access in libraries. Once a year, we also present an Access to Learning Award ($1 million) to recognize the innovative efforts of a library or similar organization that provides wider access to technology and strengthens communities.

Help partners plan ahead to sustain programs.

We're funding grants that encourage U.S. and global grantees to make long-term investments that will ensure the sustainability of Internet access in libraries. To keep pace with community needs, U.S. and global libraries will require stable funding. We have learned that sustainability grows out of strong partnerships in local and regional communities.