Gates Library Initiative distributes grant applications to library agencies in Canadian provinces and territories, and Nunavut

Carol Rava
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Phone: 206.709.3100
Email: [email protected]

REDMOND, Wash. — The Gates Library Initiative today announced that Canadian grant application guidelines have been distributed to the provincial and territorial agencies working with public libraries in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. The deadline for the provincial and territorial library agencies to submit a proposal is April 12, 1999. The Gates Library Initiative will then work with the provinces and territories to develop an application and implementation schedule for individual libraries in Canada that are eligible to apply for a grant.

“Public libraries play an important role in helping to bring computers and the Internet to everyone, but due to a lack of financial resources, hardware, software, technical assistance, and training, most public libraries are still not able to offer full-scale, widespread public access. The Gates Library Initiative is committed to partnering with libraries in low-income communities in Canada to provide computers, technical training and Internet access,” said Carol Erickson, International Library Programs Manager for the Gates Library Initiative.

“Of the 3,300 libraries in Canada, it is expected that approximately half will be eligible for grants from the Gates Library Initiative. Library directors across Canada are excited by the opportunity that the partnership with the Gates Library Initiative provides to ensure that all people—regardless of income—have access to the incredible knowledge found through access to computers and the Internet,” said Harry T. Holman, Chair of the Provincial & Territorial Library Directors Council.

The Gates Library Initiative launched their Canadian partnership in October of 1998 and since then has been working with Statistics Canada and the provinces and territories to compile data on Canadian library eligibility. Poverty is the determining factor in the Gates Library Initiative’s grant making. A planning committee of Canadian library leaders determined that an individual library will be eligible to apply for a grant if the library building serves an area of greater than 17.6% poverty. This figure is based on the Poverty Profile 1996 report issued by the National Council of Welfare in spring 1998. In addition, libraries must also show technical readiness, commitment to sustainability over time, and commitment to establishing programs for reaching people who do not otherwise have access to computers and the Internet.

Through its Canadian grant program, the Gates Library Initiative will provide grants to all eligible public library buildings serving low-income communities to purchase computer and networking equipment and to install telecommunications services for Internet access. Gates Library Initiative grants also provide training and technical support to provincial and territorial library staff in network administration, computer and Internet applications, and computer systems management.