The Nebraska Library Commission announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded the Library Commission a $2,416,403 grant to fund Nebraska’s public computer center project, Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities. The three-year project is designed to expand broadband capacity; upgrade public computing resources in libraries; and advance access to employment, learning, health information, and E-Government services. The Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), provides funding to expand broadband access and adoption in communities across the U.S. and intends to increase jobs, spur investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits. In addition to the federal grant, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will provide $1,251,786 in matching funds, including a grant and technical assistance to support the project. The total project budget is $3,668,189.
We don’t know all the details yet, but the Superior Library is one of the 147 Libraries to share in this money. We will keep you posted in what exciting things will be happening at the library.
