Library to Hold Open House on August 31

Elgin Public Library is having an open house on Wednesday, August 31, during our regular hours, 1-7pm.  We want people to come and see our new computers and other equipment that we received from the BTOP grant!   We hope the public will find our new computers useful and much faster than the old equipment!

The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded the Nebraska Library Commission a $2,416,403 grant to fund Nebraska’s public computer center project, Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities.  The three year project is designed to expand broadband capacity; upgrade public computing resources in libraries; and advance access to employment, learning, health information, and E-Government services.  The Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information (NITIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is the source of the funding.  In addition to the federal grant, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is providing $1,251,786 in matching funds.  The Nebraska Library Commission is using the funds to enhance public computer centers in 147 public library locations statewide.

Money expended for our library’s new equipment was $4,787.52.  This is your stimulus money at work!  Make good use of it!