New Computers at the Library

22 new computers are available for public use at The Brown County Public Library! Funding for a majority of the computers was made possible by a matching grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, totaling $46,800.

The Gates Foundation’s library programs were developed to help ensure that every library in the country offers free access to computers and the Internet. To be eligible for the Opportunity Online Hardware Grant, the Brown County Public Library had to meet economic and equipment guidelines. “Essentially, the greater poverty in your library service area, and the older your computers, the better grant funding you could receive,” said Lynn Harden, BCPL Library Director.

Libraries in Georgetown, Mt. Orab, and Sardinia met the economic guidelines that required more than 10% of the population to be in poverty. All branches – including Fayetteville – met the equipment guidelines that showed that nearly 80% of BCPL computers would soon be obsolete by Gates Foundation standards. While the Fayetteville-Perry Library did not meet economic guidelines for the Gates Foundation grant, new computers were purchased using proceeds of the levy that was passed in November 2009.

The Gates Grant provides funding in two phases to help give libraries time to raise the required matching amount. The BCPL has already raised the $5,850 required for the first phase, and will launch a campaign to raise the remaining match later this year. The BCPL has also already met the minimum purchase requirements of the grant, so funds from the second phase of the grant can be used for both new computers and the cost of maintenance and repair of the computers.

Visit your local library for free, high speed Internet access through our new computers and watch for more news about the next phase of the Gates Foundation grant!