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"THANK
YOU" to some special folks In the USA, the idea of tax-supported FREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES started in 1849, in Boston, MA. This concept spread slowly until, among other projects, Andrew Carnegie decided to encourage & support the creation of public library collections & buildings. Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) "The taste for reading is one of the most precious possessions of life,..." from Andrew Carnegie's address at the dedication of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, November 5, 1895 "The fundamental advantage of a library is that it gives nothing for nothing. Youths must acquire knowledge themselves." quote, by Andrew Carnegie, mentioned at Carnegie Libraries of California website "The best means of benefiting the community is to place within its reach the ladders upon which the aspiring can rise." "Wealth," North American Review, 1889, by Andrew Carnegie. "It is the mind that makes the body rich. There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else." from Andrew Carnegie's address at the dedication of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, November 5, 1895 Andrew Carnegie believed in helping people help themselves. His generosity, starting in 1889, caused a rapid increase in the number of free, public libraries across this country. As a result of his efforts, others were also inspired to support libraries. We automatically expect our town to have a public library. Before Andrew Carnegie’s efforts, most of our towns DIDN’T have one. Thank you, Mr. Carnegie, for making it possible to have information freely available to all who wish to look for it at their local libraries. There are schools, libraries, & just plain folks who can't afford computers, much less Internet connections. Access to the Web costs money up front for the equipment & upkeep. Access to an Internet connection is an ongoing monthly expense. Some states have been able to make grant money available to their libraries to enable them to buy computers. Recently, the US gov’t put a surcharge on telephone bills to raise money to help defray the costs for schools & libraries to have access to Internet connections. Because of the high costs, computers and/or Internet connections are still unobtainable for many libraries in low-income areas. Bill & Melinda Gates "In the simplest terms, some people learn better by reading, some by listening, some by watching someone else do a task, some by doing the task. Most of us learn from a combination of all these methods....But where building a physical facility to give kids a wide range of experience is complex, a virtual world of experiences on computers is available to all connected students." Business @ the Speed of Thought by Bill Gates © 1999 Bill Gates, of the Microsoft Corporation, & his wife, Melinda, are now doing the same kind of thing, for folks across the USA & Canada, that Andrew Carnegie did. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports a number of programs, one of which is the Gates Library Initiative. It was set up to encourage & support the creation of INTERNET ACCESS for library patrons in low-income areas. This way, everyone, including folks who can't afford a computer of their own, will have an opportunity to learn how to use computers & Internet resources. The Gates Library Initiative was set up to help the poorest states first. It provides Gateway computers & the necessary hardware to connect to the Internet, a Hewlett Packard network printer, software, & technical support to libraries in areas of the USA & Canada which have a poverty level of 10% or more (according to the 1990 census figures). Additionally, each library's staff is provided with on-site training for this new technology. Then GCTA (Gates Center for Technology Access) gives each library training materials so they can teach their patrons how to make the best use of this new technology. What's really great is that they've loaded these computers with all kinds of educational software for youngsters, from preschoolers right on up to high school students. These links will tell you more about the Gates Library Initiative grants. The Library Program USA Program FAQs Canadian Partnerships FAQs In Florida, & in other places which have received these grants, the time has come, thanks to the Gates Library Initiative, when folks automatically expect their libraries to have public Internet access. Before the Gates Library Initiative, most of our libraries DIDN’T have it. Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. William H. Gates, for making it possible to have public Internet access freely available for all who wish to use it at their local libraries. Thank you also for the educational software you've supplied. Our future depends on understanding what can be done with computers & using them, & the Internet, to our best advantage. You've given us the tools to make that possible. I've seen the faces of the youngsters, & their folks, when they understand what you sent to their library. I've watched them use the software. I've watched them explore. I've watched them LEARN. Thank you. If you'd prefer to order items from your local store, or library, print out the additional information listed at the end of each review. And be sure to tell them that gobbysreviews sent you! Thanks, and enjoy yourself while you browse 5 stars from gobbysreviews. |
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