Colorado State Archives

Executive Orders from the Administration of Governor Bill Owens 1999-2005

DENVER – Governor Bill Owens announced today that the state was awarded a $3.4 million grant for Colorado public libraries from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant is for equipment, services and training to increase public access to computers and the Internet.

"Colorado is leading the way in our fast-changing digital economy," said Gov. Bill Owens. "This grant will be helpful as we move to bridge the digital divide and to provide more opportunities for all Coloradans."

The Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation U.S. Library Program partners with public libraries to provide access to computers, the Internet and digital information for patrons in low-income communities across the United States. The Colorado State Library and the Colorado Department of Education will coordinate the state partnership with the Foundation.

The Foundation applies four eligibility standards to determine which libraries will receive cash grants. Separately, Microsoft Corporation will donate software to all libraries receiving Foundation grants. The eligibility requirements are:

1. The library building must be within a state that has been accepted for a State Partnership Grant Program;
   
2. The library building must be a public library recognized by the state library agency as a public library;
   
3. The library building must serve an area of greater than 10 percent poverty based on U.S Census Department data from 1990. Libraries serving communities where less than 10 percent are below the poverty level can purchase computers at a discounted rate;
   
4. The library building must not have previously received a Foundation grant.

The Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to improving people’s lives by sharing advances in health and learning with the global community. For more information, call the Colorado State Library at (303) 866-6900

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