About the GIG: The Geneva Information Gateway
The G.I.G., or the Geneva Information Gateway is a new name for our Public Computer Center that represents the Geneva Public Library's broad-based goal to increase our patron’s access to and comfort with computer and job skills development training and technology. This goal is being brought forth through the Public Computer Center Grant the library was awarded this past summer, a two-year grant to improve and expand the computer resources the library makes available to the public and to provide computer-skills instruction to area residents.
Why the switch?
The original name, The Public Computer Center, successfully places emphasis on the physical spaces that have been revitalized through the grant and the hard work of our library staff, specifically the improvements to the Reference Floor Computer Area. While we are extremely proud of our additions to this area, as well as our creation of a classroom devoted specifically to course instruction and to our computer and other technological improvements across all three floors of the library, our real goal is to make improvements that extend well beyond the physical. This means dramatic changes in how we educate, promote, and support computer and job skills training and in how the community comes to vision the library as a portal to computer and job information as well as videoconferencing. It also means a library wide commitment to creating new access points to digital information and services throughout both the library and the Geneva area. The Geneva Information Gateway represents our goal of becoming a community portal to information and improvement.
About the Grant
The library is one of 30 libraries in the state to receive a Public Computer Center grant. The grant is part of the New York State’s Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary project to help low-income, unemployed, underemployed, and other vulnerable populations in upstate New York. Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary will provide more than 860 computers in 30 libraries and five mobile training centers across 41 economically distressed upstate New York counties with populations totaling 6,655,824 (2008 census).
The Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary project is being funded by a $9.5 million matching grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to expand computer access in public libraries across New York State. The funding is being provided through the Federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.
New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner said, "Libraries are vital to our communities and our economy. The increased broadband capacity, training and online resources funded through this grant will provide more New Yorkers with access to essential online information for work, healthcare, education, and citizenship as well as E-government resources."
"What librarians and libraries do everyday is vitally important work," said State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries Bernard Margolis. "Yet, even though New Yorkers turn to their public libraries more in difficult economic times, libraries themselves have suffered cuts and reductions to their valuable services. This grant will enable our libraries to continue to do critically important work and to expand the opportunities, education, and services that high speed Internet provides to the unserved and underserved in our communities."
