A primary goal of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's U.S. Libraries initiative is to help public libraries permanently sustain free access to computers and the Internet for people who need it most. The Foundation believes helping libraries support high-quality technology services is one of the best ways to ensure that all people-regardless of their economic status, level of education, or where they live-have equal access to opportunity, information, and learning.

Today, nearly every U.S. public library offers free computer and Internet access, but 40 percent are not able to successfully maintain quality technology services for their patrons. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Opportunity Online hardware grants are designed to bridge this gap by helping public libraries upgrade hardware and learn how to sustain these upgrades over time. The grant program will focus on libraries that serve communities in need and are struggling to keep pace with changes in technology. The program will also seek to motivate local governments to commit long-term local funding to computer services in public libraries.

The two-year Opportunity Online hardware grants will pay for public computer workstations, and associated training and tech support. The program will require dedicated local funding through a monitored and enforced escalating matching requirement. We anticipate that this will be the foundation's last round of hardware grants to support U.S. libraries with vulnerable technology services.

Grant Eligibility

The third round of the Opportunity Online Hardware Grant program will take place in 2010 and 2011. Indiana public libraries are eligible in this round.

The foundation's U.S. Libraries initiative will determine eligibility for each participating library. Libraries from eligible states must meet two criteria to become fully eligible for funding.

1. Economic need: Eligible libraries will serve communities where 10 percent of the total population or more than 3,000 people in each library service area live in poverty. Library service areas are defined as a l0-mile radius from a branch for rural areas, a 3-mile radius from a branch in suburban areas, and a l-mile radius from a branch in urban areas.
2. Hardware need: Eligible libraries must demonstrate that their computer and Internet services are vulnerable to becoming obsolete. Libraries will run a TechAtlas , a computer inventory report to assess their hardware vulnerability.

Library Grantee Requirements

Eligible libraries must fulfill the following requirements to receive full funding:

• They must demonstrate a commitment to provide matching dollars over the term of the two-year grant (25 percent in phase one; 50 percent in phase two).  Matching funds must come from local or state funding sources, not federal LSTA funds. Private funds are acceptable (e.g., friends groups, local community foundations). The match will be monitored and enforced through written documentation and verification.
• Libraries must run three TechAtlas computer inventory reports, once during the initial baseline data collection period to determine their eligibility, and twice to follow up after each hardware installation.
• They must participate in the annual ALA-FSU Internet and Public Funding Survey.
• Grantees will also be required to attend the PLA Turning the Page advocacy program. This is a unique advocacy training symposium sponsored by the foundation. The symposium is designed to help libraries build skills and confidence in their work to gain increased support and local funding.

The amount of each grant to individual library systems will be based on a predetermined "level of service" formula that specifies a certain number of computer workstations per persons living in poverty as defined by the U.S. Libraries initiative. The funds will be provided for the purchase of a specific number of computers and will also include additional funding for printers, peripherals, tech support, and training. Libraries may use funds for laptops if the targeted number of public workstations is achieved. Computer selection, purchasing, and installation will be at the discretion of each library system.

Grants will be distributed to participating libraries via the Indiana State Library, contingent upon match verification in each phase of the grant. Acceptable verification documentation will include: a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from the appropriate official overseeing the library budget; a council or library board resolution committing funds; or a letter of commitment from a nongovernmental resource such as a community foundation, corporate partner, friends group, or foundation.

If you have questions please contact Jacob Speer in the Library Development Office of the Indiana State Library (317) 232 3715 (jspeer@library.in.gov)