The fund, which includes money from the Scottish Executive and Gates Foundation, was launched today by the Minister at Dumbarton Library. The funding will widen access to the Internet by providing ICT learning in libraries in deprived communities in Scotland. With computers increasingly conditioning the kind of country we live in, it is crucial that we widen access.
Libraries are an ideal access point for everybody in the community.
Internet services such as local government, banking and supermarkets are starting to make a real difference to people's lives. New technology is also opening up learning opportunities by allowing people to fit study or skills training comfortably in their daily schedule. But this technology must not be allowed to create exclusion. We simply can't afford to leave people outside this information loop. This funding will help to ensure that everyone has high quality access to digital technology and information.