IT and Libraries: New project aims to strengthen public libraries of Colombia

On September 27th 2011 at the Presidential Palace of Bogotá (Colombia) the Colombian Government in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched a project called “Use and Adoption of ICT in the National Network of Public Libraries”. The project which aims to strengthen public libraries of Colombia has received US $3.2 million in funding from the Foundation, what is more it will benefit from a donation of software by Microsoft.

The project, which is expected to span 2 years, will conduct research, needs assessments and pilot efforts to provide connectivity and technology and create digital content in public libraries, provide new equipment for reading centers alongside with the training necessary to allow relevant and useful use of these new services.

The pilot project is developed under the framework of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries initiative and is called to close the digital divide between Colombia and neighboring Venezuela and improve access of the population to information and technologies at public libraries.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the world’s largest private foundation, which is based in Seattle (USA).