Apologies for cross-posting
 ----------------------------
 DCMS Press Release 269/99 

 8 November 1999

 BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION GIVES $4 MILLION
 GIFT TO BOOST HIGH TECH LIBRARY LEARNING

 New Fund will create 47 new learning centres in deprived areas

 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is to provide a $4million (#2.5
 million) gift to help set up a high tech network of Information and 
 Communication Technology (ICT) learning centres in deprived areas of 
 Britain, Arts Minister Alan Howarth announced today.

 The 47 centres which will be located in areas of greatest need, will 
 be equipped with state of the art hardware and software. The aim is 
 to increase computer access for all people to ensure that no one is 
 left out of the technological advances of the 21st century.

 The initiative follows discussions between the Bill and Melinda Gates
 Foundation and Matthew Evans, Chairman of the Government's Library 
 and Information Commission (LIC), after the LIC received an offer of 
 help from the Foundation.

 Announcing details of the scheme Alan Howarth said:

 "The whirlwind of information technology will touch every aspect of 
 all our working and leisure lives. Already more than 13 million 
 people in Britain have Internet access and the revenue from 
 e-commerce is set to top #10 billion next year.

 "At the press of a button you can have access to everything from cut 
 price books and CDs to holidays and job opportunities, yet many 
 millions of our fellow citizens have yet to switch on a computer.

 "Everybody - young and old and from all backgrounds and parts of the 
 country - must have the opportunity to make the most of what new 
 technology has to offer, and today's announcement, together with the 
 lottery funded library ICT schemes already annunced by the 
 Government, will help make that ambition a reality.

 "The People's Network is without doubt the best way to ensure that 
 the maximum amount of people have access to opportunities new 
 technology can provide, and this donation will play a major part in 
 bridging the gap between information rich and information poor.

 "On behalf of the Government I pay tribute to the generosity and 
 vision of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the diligence 
 and care of Matthew Evans at the LIC whose discussions with the 
 Foundation have led to such a spectacular result."

 Notes to Editors

 1. The Government has already announced three projects, involving 
 funding from lottery distributor the New Opportunities Fund, to 
 boost information technology use in libraries, including:

 #250 million for a programme of information technology training 
 for teachers and librarians

 #50 million for the digitisation of electronic information to 
 support life long learning

 #200 million to promote community access to life long learning, 
 helping link libraries link to each other and to schools, and to 
 build up electronically based local and community information 
 (DCMS Press release 60/99)

 2. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLAC) will replace 
 the Museums and Galleries Commission and the Library and 
 Information Commission. It is due to be established on a formal 
 basis on or by 1 April 2000 and will continue the LIC's pioneering
 work in this area.

 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 
 2-4 Cockspur Street
 London SW1Y 5DH













****************************
Stuart Brewer
Pat Wressell Associates 
36 Highbury
Jesmond
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 3EA
UK           

Tel: +44 (0) 191 281 3502
Fax: +44 (0) 191 212 0146
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
****************************



%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%