January 21, 2010

Dear New Jersey Library Director:

I am pleased to inform you that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently announced a partnership with the New Jersey State Library to help us compete for federal broadband stimulus funds made available through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. These funds will flow through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration\x92s (NTIA) new Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). BTOP is an unprecedented opportunity for New Jersey public libraries to access federal funding to improve access to high quality technology and provide broadband Internet connections to their patrons.

The New Jersey State Library, in partnership with the New Jersey Library Association, plans to submit a grant application to BTOP that aims to improve broadband availability through our JerseyConnect program. We have already started reaching out to a number of leaders within state and local government to discuss the project concept and to seek strategic partnerships. We hope that you will encourage these conversations as a way to communicate the community benefits of public access technology in public libraries.

Our primary purpose in reaching out is to solicit your feedback regarding our project. While we are currently in the early stages of project definition and many details remain, our preliminary understanding of one of your broadband priorities is to expand access as a means to improve library programs on job training.

Since it is essential we understand your priorities and to what extend your library currently runs, proposes to offer, or cooperates with state or local agencies regarding job training, we are requesting additional information from some libraries. Your timely responses if requested will help us identify libraries that wish to participate in the initiative and whose needs are aligned with the statutory purposes of the BTOP program

I thank you in advance for your support of this important initiative. We look forward to working with the New Jersey library community on this exciting opportunity afforded by the federal broadband stimulus funds.

Sincerely,

Norma Blake State Librarian

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