The Gates Foundation gives grants to Hawaii Public Libraries

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is awarding a total of $6.5 million to maintain and increase internet access at libraries in 11 states including Hawaii. The money will be used to purchase or upgrade computer hardware according to the Seattle-based foundation at libraries under the Hawaii State Library system. The funding will be used at some 800 library branches in the states of Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

We in Hawaii are very fortunate to have these grants come in at a time when the budgets cuts at the state level may mean closures for some public libraries.