NPL eligible for grant to improve free computer and internet services

According to a recent study by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, almost 40% of Americans still lack Internet access at home. In tough economic times, those who do have this access often eliminate this service first when trying to make ends meet. People look to libraries to fill that void and become their free link to technology. “It is virtually impossible to succeed today without access to computers and the Internet,” said Allan Golston, president of the foundation’s United States Program. “Fast, reliable online access can open a world of economic, educational, and social opportunities. It is imperative that all communities acknowledge the role our libraries play in providing this service and give libraries they support they need to continue providing critical technology tools long into the future.”

Here at Neill Public Library, Internet usage is on the rise. Patrons access library computers approximately 340 times in an average week. “Computer and Internet access have become essential services that our patrons demand,” said Kathleen Ahern, Interim Library Services Director. “It is critical that we have the resources necessary to properly maintain these technology tools so that our library can help all people at Neill Public Library access the information they need to thrive and contribute fully to our community.”

While nearly all U.S. public libraries now offer free computer and Internet services, many struggle to maintain them as budget cuts threaten to reduce operating hours, limit access to staff training and technical support, and make it difficult to keep pace with new technologies.

Neill Public Library is no exception. As budget challenges mount, grant sources like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation offer critical assistance to libraries struggling to meet their community’s needs. As a regular grant seeker for your library, I can tell you the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is in a unique class unto themselves. Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, this foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people -- especially those with the fewest resources -- have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.

Neill Public Library has the opportunity to be a beneficiary of part of that assistance. The $26,000 Opportunity Online hardware grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will help your library provide free, high quality access to computer workstations for the City of Pullman. This two-year grant program will provide funding to revitalize and augment Internet workstations at Neill Public Library, half of which were purchased using a prior Gates Foundation grant.