More than 350 libraries in the most deprived areas of the United Kingdom have been selected to receive additional Internet connections, thanks to a donation of $4.2 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The list of libraries to benefit from the gift was released July 20 by Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives, and Libraries, the agency that is to administer the funds.
The Gates gift, which was first announced in October 1999, complements the People’s Network Project, a Resource-managed program that aims to connect all UK public libraries to the Internet by the end of 2002, the London Times reported July 25. The extra $4.2 million will buy additional Internet-access terminals for 55 main learning centers and 296 branch learning centers.
Libraries Minister Tessa Blackstone said, “I warmly welcome this generous award from the Foundation, which comes as a most useful addition to existing Lottery-funded support for ICT in libraries. This funding will help ensure that Internet access is available through our libraries to everyone, right across the country.”
Posted July 30, 2001.