From the Connecticut State Library Board:
The State Library Board recently approved $338,670 in grants to 15 public libraries for high-speed fiber connections to the Connecticut Education Network (CEN). As reliance upon public libraries to provide broadband telecommunications services for their community increases, it becomes essential to have universal high-speed connectivity in libraries across the state. Public libraries serve as gateways to information outside one’s own community, which is critically important to communities during the Information Age. Libraries also provide people without home computers free access to the Internet, helping these residents close the digital divide.
In 2015, the General Assembly appropriated $3,600,000 for Grants-in-Aid for high-speed connections to the Connecticut Education Network (P.A. 15-1 Sec. 13(j)(2)). On May 27, 2016, the State Bond Commission approved an allocation and bond authorization to the State Library for $3.6 million for high-speed library connections to theConnecticut Education Network for more than 90 libraries in Connecticut. The grant covers all of the costs related to installing the fiber connection to the library. It is anticipated that the connections will be completed in the first half of 2017. The State Library Board is expected to award another round of grants in November.
Grant Recipients
Library Total amt Awarded BETHEL PUBLIC LIBRARY $25,100.00 CASE MEMORIAL LIBRARY (Orange) $24,800.00 DERBY PUBLIC LIBRARY $16,360.00 EASTON PUBLIC LIBRARY $24,250.00 GUILFORD FREE LIBRARY $17,440.00 JAMES BLACKSTONE MEM LIBRARY (Branford) $28,700.00 KENT LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (Kent) $17,800.00 BILL LIBRARY (Ledyard) $18,700.00 OLIVER WOLCOTT LIBRARY (Litchfield) $31,850.00 RICHMOND MEMORIAL LIBRARY (Marlborough) $22,100.00 SHERMAN LIBRARY $24,000.00 STERLING PUBLIC LIBRARY $24,040.00 TERRYVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY $22,350.00 TOWN OF KILLINGLY $9,280.00 WILLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY $31,900.00 Total: $338,670.00
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