Gates Library Grant Initiative; Opportunity Online Hardware Grant Program
Roles and Responsibilities for Eligible Public Libraries
The Opportunity Online Hardware Grant initiative focuses on sustaining public access computing services for the public through public libraries serving high need populations. The grant will achieve this through hardware upgrades and planning, research and training, and technology evaluation.
The State Library is proud to participate in this latest Gates initiative, as this new grant program could bring as much as $3 to $5 million dollars to New York State’s public libraries, which are desperately in need of updated technology. There are almost 700 public libraries currently on the Gates-generated list that have been identified as eligible to participate.
Within the framework of the information provided to date by the Gates Foundation about this latest Gates-funded statewide project, the State Library believes that New York’s public libraries will be requested to undertake the roles and responsibilities listed below.
- Assign a primary contact person to work with their library system and/or the State Library on this statewide project.
- Learn to run the TechAtlas software either through their system contact or through a hands-on or online TechAtlas workshop.
- Ensure that the TechAtlas software script is run on each of the library’s public access computers by May 11, 2007, in order to determine eligibility for grant funds.
- Secure a match of 25% the first year and a match of 50% the second year of the grant project for the computer equipment purchase and provide match verification to the State Library.
- Apply for funding through an application process determined by the State Library and/or their library system.
- Purchase and install computer equipment by September 2008 for the first year and by September 2009 during the second grant funding year.
- Complete and submit the Internet Funding Survey three times during the two-year grant period: during September through December in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
- Run the TechAtlas software inventory on all their public access computers two additional times during the two-year grant period: during October through December each year in 2008 and in 2009.
- Attend mandatory Gates Advocacy workshops to be held during the first year of the grant period in multiple locations in New York State. Such workshops can be either attended in-person or on-line. All travel expenses will be reimbursed by the Gates Foundation.
- Provide program information to their system contact and/or the State Library as needed so the State Library can complete and submit required reports to the Gates Foundation.
- Learn to run the TechAtlas software either through their system contact or through a hands-on or online TechAtlas workshop.*
- Ensure that the TechAtlas software script is run on each of the library’s public access computers by May 11, 2007 in order to determine eligibility for grant funds.*
* Already completed
Go to Library Development
home page