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July 23, 2008
Asbury Park library receives $19,500 grant
By Nancy Shields • COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU • July 23, 2008
Asbury Park Press
ASBURY PARK — A $19,500 grant for the Asbury Park Public Library from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation means at least 12 new computers or double the number the library has now, said Malakai Oglesby, the library's information systems manager.
The foundation recently announced $8.1 million in online grants over two years to help public libraries in 11 states "improve and sustain free, quality access to computers."
In New Jersey, $969,800 in Opportunity Online grants are available to 83 libraries, which must apply and show they can meet requirements to match the grants.
The eligible libraries include Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Keyport, Bayshore Branch and Elberon Branch in Monmouth County.
For Asbury Park, a grant from the Gates Foundation a few years ago enabled the library to get four computers, and then a follow-up grant helped the library maintain and upgrade those computers, Oglesby said.
The latest announcement of $19,500 over two years comes — for the first time — with the requirement for a local match of 25 percent the first year, and 50 percent the second, she said. Oglesby said she believed the library can match the grants.
Currently, the library has nine computers for the adult library and three in the junior library.
"Overall, without this foundation, I'm not sure what the status of our computers would be here," Oglesby said. "This program allows us to provide more technology resources for our patrons."
A release from the Gates Foundation said the grants are geared to libraries "serving communities with high concentrations of poverty that are at risk of having outdated technology."
Posted by tumulty at July 23, 2008 6:21 PM
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