Closing the Digital Divide

Super Huge Awesome News:

Yesterday, the Public Library of Charlotte held a press conference to receive a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

How awesome is this grant? It's the largest foundation grant in the Library’s history. It will be used to improve technology access and help residents conduct job searches. This gift will impact the Main, ImaginOn, Freedom Regional and Mountain Island libraries.

That's right- Freedom is getting a part of this pie to help us improve technology and related resources.

If you listen to as much public radio as I do, you've probably heard of the Knight Foundation before. The Knight Foundation is a national group with local chapters that seeks opportunities to advance journalism and communities. Their generous organization has been doing great things to help communities and bring resources to close the "digital divide." Charlotte wasn't even the only library system they gave a grant to yesterday!

A grant was also given to the Leon County Public Library System in Tallahassee, Tenn. That grant will nearly double the amount of computers at its branches – significantly expanding residents’ access to the Internet.

If I may editorialize for a moment, as more and more information moves to a digital format, public libraries are becoming more indispensable. The library is becoming a place for many to gain access to the world wide web, and more many others to decode it's mystery. Just because information is on the web, does not mean that a majority of people are able to find it or make use of it.

Here at the Freedom Library, I like to think we do a great job of offering classes to prepare people for successful computer and internet use. With this grant, I feel we will be able to improve our services, and stay current with what job markets expect.


The press conference was held at 9 am @ Imaginon. Read the official PLCMC news release here.