Libraries Shut Out of Stimulus $$

clipped from arstechnica.com City libraries shut out of broadband stimulus money? Looks like urban libraries are getting a bum deal when it comes to applying for broadband stimulus grants. The American Library Association wants this fixed. A rare moment when a San Francisco Public Library free Internet access terminal is not in use. Matthew Lasar The first round of stimulus grants "in effect de-prioritizes libraries and discourages them from applying for funding," complains the American Library Association in a letter sent to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. "The ability of our libraries to meet community needs is in jeopardy—especially when library use has heavily increased across the country in these difficult economic times." many jobs require a Web-based application That has put more pressure on job hunters to find computers, and more pressure on the library to help them. the library provides one hour computer/Internet connections. Rarely is a station unoccupied.

If anything, libraries should be first in line.