This announcement appeared on the Benton Foundation's Digital Divide list
today:

Carol Boyer
Project Associate
RESNA Technical Assistance Project

Last week the Gates Foundation announced this new initiative to create a
portal for libraries, CTCs and other centers that offer direct
computing/interent access to the public. While the initial group targeted to
be served by the portal is libraries, it is the intent that the content
available at the portal be useful to a much broader community.  Partners on
the project include the Benton Foundation and TechSoup/Compumentor.

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Gates Foundation Gives $9 Million for Online Public
         Access Library Portal

 The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
 ( http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ ) has announced a three-
 year, $9 million grant to the Online Computer Library
 Center ( http://www.oclc.org/ ) in Dublin, Ohio, to build
 a Web-based public access portal for public libraries and
 other organizations that provide open access to information.

 The portal will be designed to serve the ongoing needs of
 public libraries in managing hardware and software,
 implementing advanced applications, training staff and
 patrons, and delivering digital library services. The
 portal's content will be organized into five areas:
 continuing education, technical support, purchasing,
 capacity building, and community building. The site also
 will host a range of services and tools, such as online
 tutorials and training modules, message boards, and expert
 assistance, that will help libraries manage and enhance
 their programs.

Full Announcement:
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/libraries/announcements/announce-020502.htm
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Ken Thompson
Program Officer, Community Access to Technology Program
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
www.gatesfoundation.org/cat