The Commission’s Public Computing Center BTOP project was among the grant awards announced by Vice President Biden today. The grant of $1,907,531 will expand broadband and computing capacity in Idaho’s least connected libraries and expand LiLI online resources statewide for K-12 students and job seekers. Our content partners include the Idaho Department of Labor, Adult Basic Education, Idaho Public Television, and the Idaho Regional Optical Network. Read the press release and official announcement for more details.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries—along with nearly 150 Idaho state leaders, grant partners, and public library directors—launched the “online @ your library” broadband project on November 1 and 2. The launch workshop in Boise was sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The spot below is scheduled to begin airing through Idaho Public Television stations around the state on Thursday, January 27. The exact schedule is not known yet, but be on the lookout!

Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) and our many partners are working diligently to expand broadband and computing capacity in Idaho's least connected libraries through our “online @ your library” Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

Check out LearningExpress Library usage statistics posted at http://libraries.idaho.gov/page/learningexpress-library to see what tests and courses people are using.

BTOP public service announcements

One of our primary BTOP partners, Idaho Public Television, has created several public service announcements (PSAs) to let Idahoans know about the resources that are available to them through the broadband grant. Idaho PTV is airing these PSAs around the state. Check out the following PSAs on youtube:

So far in Wave 1 of 2011 E-Rate funding, 57 public libraries have received funding commitments. Most schools or libraries have more than one funding request. There is a separate funding request for each vendor and, depending on the service (e.g., telecommunications or Internet), a library may have two or more funding requests for the same vendor.

Teachers and students in Idaho now have immediate access for
their lessons and homework to more than 14,000 research-based instructional
resources—including videos, interactives, images, audio files, mobile apps,
lesson plans, and worksheets--through Scout, Classroom Edition. Find it at http://idahoptv.pbslearningmedia.org.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and to help promote the Diabetes Resource Guide for Idahoans, the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program is once again offering FREE bookmarks to Idaho Public Libraries to distribute to their library users.