The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have awarded nearly $7 million to two non-profit groups in an effort to improve broadband Internet access in public libraries.
The foundation will donate $6.1 million to Connected Nation, a non-profit Internet advocacy group, and about $852,000 to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP). The project will support improved Internet connections at libraries in Arkansas, California, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
Each state will have to submit proposals that detail how they will support the increased cost and implementation of faster Internet connections. The foundation selected the states because they had high concentrations of public libraries with Internet speeds of less than 1.5 Mbps, public policy support for the project, and state library agencies that had taken steps to improve the quality of Internet service.
Connected Nation will use the funds to help each state host a broadband summit as well as organize public library leaders, state and local officials, and other stakeholders in order to support broadband access in libraries.
OITP will develop broadband penetration strategies and put together case studies demonstrating how public libraries can successfully sustain broadband for patrons.
The foundation will donate $6.1 million to Connected Nation, a non-profit Internet advocacy group, and about $852,000 to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP). The project will support improved Internet connections at libraries in Arkansas, California, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
Each state will have to submit proposals that detail how they will support the increased cost and implementation of faster Internet connections. The foundation selected the states because they had high concentrations of public libraries with Internet speeds of less than 1.5 Mbps, public policy support for the project, and state library agencies that had taken steps to improve the quality of Internet service.
Connected Nation will use the funds to help each state host a broadband summit as well as organize public library leaders, state and local officials, and other stakeholders in order to support broadband access in libraries.
OITP will develop broadband penetration strategies and put together case studies demonstrating how public libraries can successfully sustain broadband for patrons.
