Eighteen States Awarded Grants to Sustain Public Access Computing in Libraries

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced grants to 18 states to help public libraries continue to provide no-cost access to computers and the Internet for the public. The Staying Connected challenge grants, totaling $5.8 million, are going to state library agencies in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

State library agencies will use the Staying Connected funds for technology training and support programs, broadband connectivity as well as hardware and software upgrades in local libraries.

“Public libraries play a vital role in bridging the digital divide for those who do not have access to computers and the Internet. Today, because of the hard work of librarians across the country, if you can get to the library, you can get to the Internet,” said Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “The challenge now is to help public libraries ‘stay connected.’ Sustaining public access computing will require continued support from local communities.”

Research conducted by the University of Washington’s Public Access Computing Project shows that people with lower income and education levels are more likely to rely on the library for their only access to computers and the Internet. While computer and Internet use has grown among all populations in recent years, income and socioeconomic status remain key indicators of access to these technologies. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported just 25 percent of households earning less than $15,000 annually are connected to the Internet, compared with nearly 80 percent of households with annual incomes greater than $75,000. Across all demographics, more than 14 million Americans use library computers for Internet access.

There is significant public support for sustaining access to computers and the Internet in libraries. According to a recent study conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, Americans believe that providing computers for public use is one of the three most important things their library can do.

“When I went back to college at age 42, I was the only student who couldn’t use a computer,” said Rebecca Young, a patron at Sissonville Public Library in West Virginia. “I learned how to use the computer at my public library and continue to use the computers to take online courses. Having this access to technology helped me complete my degree in elementary education and enables me to stay current in my field.”

The Staying Connected grants are challenge grants, meaning that the foundation matched funds raised by the state at a two-to-one ratio, bringing the total amount of funding dedicated to keeping libraries connected to more than $8 million. State library agencies have used this challenge as a catalyst to build partnerships with government entities, businesses, other foundations and individuals. For example, Texas, which received a grant of nearly $1 million, has assembled state, federal and private dollars to provide continued technology infrastructure upgrades and technical assistance for public libraries.

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s investments and the ongoing support of government agencies, other foundations, businesses and individuals have made a tremendous difference in our state’s libraries,” said Peggy Rudd, Director of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. “When we all come together to expand public access computing, children can explore the universe of knowledge, businesses can expand and communities can thrive.”

Since 1998, the foundation has committed $250 million through its U.S. Library Program to install more than 47,000 computers in almost 11,000 libraries in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Libraries located in disadvantaged areas received hardware and software, networking funds, technical support and publications as well as training for library staff.

In addition to the Staying Connected grants, the foundation is working with Libraries for the Future to strengthen librarians’ capacities for community outreach and supports WebJunction, a Web-based service that gives librarians and others an online platform to share knowledge and experience in providing technology to patrons. The foundation also supports libraries internationally, through grants and its annual Access to Learning Award.

Melinda Gates announced the Staying Connected grants today during a visit to West Virginia, where she met with state political and library leaders, including Gov. Bob Wise and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), to discuss support for libraries. Gates also toured a local library and spoke with Young and other patrons.