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Gates Foundation Grant Will Benefit Area Libraries
Locally, the $873,000 contribution will give the Jamaica Bay Branch a dozen PCs, the Canarsie Branch, scheduled to reopen this summer, will get 13, the Paerdegat and Starrett City branches are slated to receive 11 and the Mill Basin Branch will get 22. "We have over 1,000 public computers across the system, and at the moment, all of our public computers are over three years old," said Stefanie Arack, Manager of Marketing and Communications for Brooklyn Public Library. Arack said half of the computers are expected to be installed by July and the other half by early 2009. The grant will also provide a special professional development symposium for local library staff from the region. The symposium will give library professionals the skills they need to build partnerships, work with their local leaders and reach out to their communities to secure stable funding and services. "Brooklyn Public Library is the primary, if not sole, means of accessing technology for thousands of Brooklynites," said Dionne Mack-Harvin, Executive Director Brooklyn Public Library (BPL). "Youth and adults alike rely on our free computers and access to the Internet for learning, creating, and staying connected to the rest of the world. The generous support of the Gates Foundation will help BPL to continue to serve as a gateway." While nearly all public libraries in the United States now offer free computer and Internet services, 40 percent report that they are not able to successfully maintain quality technology services to clients. "Without this generous grant, it would be costly and time consuming to keep the technology in good working condition," said Selvon Smith, Director of Information Technology for Brooklyn Public Library. "But with it, we'll be able to not only continue providing service, but improve it as well." The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Opportunity Online hardware grant program is designed to help libraries in cities across the country provide free access to computers for its patrons that may not have or afford one at home. The grant program is offered by the Gates Foundation's U.S. Libraries, in partnership with the New York State Library, which seeks to help libraries maintain quality, free access to computers and the Internet for people in need. According to the foundation, this will be its last grant program to support libraries with vulnerable computer services. More information about BPL can be found at www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org and information about the foundation can be found at: www.gatesfoundation.org.
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