Technology for Local Libraries

Item 263 #1h

Language
Page 214, line 24, strike "$4,185,550" and insert "$5,885,550".
Page 214, at the beginning of line 35, insert "A."
Page 214, after line 38, insert:
"B.  It is the intent of the General Assembly to implement in Fiscal Year 2000 the first phase of "Infopowering the Commonwealth" to provide electronic resources for public libraries and to provide universal access to all citizens of the Commonwealth, and $1,700,000 from the general fund in the second year shall be provided for this purpose.  The Library of Virginia may allocate up to $828,000 for grants, not to exceed $8,000 each, to local libraries to start up and create Internet capacity.  First priority for the grants shall be local libraries that currently do not have adequate hardware to access the Internet.  In awarding the grants, The Library of Virginia also shall give consideration to libraries in localities with greatest financial need, as determined by such methods as the local fiscal stress index of the Commission on Local Government."

Explanation
(This amendment provides $1.7 million from the general fund in the second year to implement the first phase of The Library of Virginia's "Strategic Technology Plan for Public Libraries." The plan would make the information superhighway accessible to all citizens of the Commonwealth through connections to the Internet at their local public library and would provide access to comprehensive electronic information. The initiative also would make it possible for Virginia's public libraries to share their bibliographic databases electronically. This amendment is a recommendation of the Joint Committee on Technology and Science.)