City libraries shut out of broadband stimulus money? - Ars Technica

Description

Millions of Americans are turning to the Internet to look for new jobs. But in many parts of the United States, public libraries are the only free provider of that crucial combo: a computer plus Internet access. This means that low-income job seekers depend on them when searching for employment. Oddly, as library development directors look for funds to beef up their networks, they're not finding the support they expected from the White House's $7.2 billion broadband stimulus package.

The first round of stimulus grants "in effect de-prioritizes libraries and discourages them from applying for funding," complains the American Library Association in a letter sent to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. "The ability of our libraries to meet community needs is in jeopardy—especially when library use has heavily increased across the country in these difficult economic times."

Household snafu

As we've reported , the government has released its first Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act broadband grants and is asking for project proposals. Two agencies are handing out the money: the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service, and the NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

It's the funding standards of the latter agency that are at issue here, in one crucial category: broadband infrastructure. Libraries everywhere can apply for BTOP Computer Center and Sustainable Broadband Adoption grants—the latter supports programs to encourage broadband awareness. The concern for ALA is with the conditions by which applicants can qualify for last and middle mile infrastructure projects that will boost a library's capacity to provide high speed service to patrons.

So what's the problem? First, says ALA, the NTIA's definitions ...

Original URL

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/07/libraries-shut-out-of-broadband-stimulus-money-1.ars

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/07/libraries-shut-out-of-broadband-stimulus-money-1.ars