MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Mettetal, Burton, Simmons, Kirby, Hawks, Johnson (19th), Smith, Harden, Stogner, Moffatt, Cuevas, Furniss, Frazier, Lee, Woodfield, Farris, Jordan (24th), Jackson, Harvey, Dickerson, Hewes, Gollott, Horhn, Canon, Little, Browning, Hall, Jordan (18th), Ferris, Ross, Hamilton, Tollison, Walls, Huggins, Robertson, White (29th), Johnson (38th), Thames, Scoper, Minor, Dearing, Blackmon, Bean, White (5th), Bryan, Carter, Rayborn

Senate Resolution 42

(As Adopted by Senate)

A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO THE GATES LIBRARY FOUNDATION UPON AWARDING THE MISSISSIPPI LIBRARY COMMISSION WITH A $2.5 MILLION PARTNERSHIP GRANT. 

WHEREAS, the Gates Library Foundation, a foundation created by Bill and Melinda Gates, has recently awarded a $2.5 Million Statewide Partnership Grant to the Mississippi Library Commission to benefit every public library in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Gates Library Foundation is dedicated to partnering with public libraries to bring access to computers, the internet, and digital information for patrons in low-income communities in the United States and Canada, including the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, it is the Foundation's hope that, as the next century is ushered in, every resident in Mississippi will come to think of the public library as the champion of books and patrons of knowledge, as well as a major access point to the benefits of the digital age; and

WHEREAS, in order to meet this commitment, the Gates Library Foundation has developed two initiatives to guide its activities and funding decisions: (1) to work with public libraries in low-income areas to provide the computer equipment required for community access to digital information; and (2) to provide training and technical assistance to library staff members so they can effectively manage computer systems, use digital information, and provide appropriate assistance to their patrons; and

WHEREAS, to guide these initiatives, the Gates Library Foundation has developed a strategy centered around the following principles: (1) the Foundation's funding will be targeted at those libraries serving low-income communities, where the need is the greatest and the fewest people have computers and internet access at home; (2) funding should help build partnerships between the Foundation and grant recipients, between grant recipients and their communities and within the library community; (3) funding should serve as a catalyst for others -- government, business, foundations and individuals -- to support the public library as an institution and to make a priority of providing broad public access to information technologies; and (4) all the Foundation's activities, including grant making, technical assistance, training and partnerships building, will encourage long-term local technological and financial sustainability; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi public libraries represent free and open access to important information and knowledge, and Bill and Melinda Gates are excited to help libraries ensure that children and adults from all walks of life will have access to the wealth of information and understanding that computers and digital information make possible:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby express our gratitude to the Gates Library Foundation upon awarding the Mississippi Library Commission with a $2.5 Million partnership grant.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Gates Library Foundation and be made available to Capitol Press Corps.