ALA Gets $2.6 Mil. Gates Grant To Study PL Tech Funding

-- Library Journal, 11/7/2006

With the help of a $2.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the American Library Association (ALA) will develop and implement a multiyear study on library technology funding and sustainability. "How public libraries sustain—and innovate—public access computing for the millions of Americans who depend on us has long been a financial and staffing concern," said ALA president Leslie Burger. "Thanks to the grant, we can now conduct additional qualitative research and reach a much wider audience with our results," said ALA executive director Keith Michael Fiels. "

ALA plans to integrate findings with the Public Libraries and the Internet study administered by Florida State University's Information Institute. Public libraries soon will receive a survey assessing the kind of connectivity service offered, equipment, and funding levels. ALA Office for Research and Statistics director Denise Davis will oversee the project. The study will also be used to evaluate the Gates Foundation's continuing grantmaking efforts. Preliminary results will be available at the ALA 2007 annual conference, June 21-27, in Washington, DC.