LAST NEWS REPORT

LAST NEWS REPORT
SETH SMITHWICK

Gates Gives $5 Million to OCLC To Build Library Awareness, Support
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 4/14/2009

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6651371.html?desc=topstory

Bill gates and his wife have recently hosted a campaign that is aiming to enhance latent public support. They want to give libraries as much help as they possibly can. “They donated 5 million dollars to the OCLC library cooperative to develop public information campaign to help boost library support.” OCLC is going to lead the campaign for six months in the areas of Georgia and Iowa. There was also another 6 to 12 communities that are also giving support and helping libraries campaign. “ The material tetsted -including advertising, direct marketing, online engagement, public relations, and grass roots community initiatives.—will be made available to the library community at large next year.” The major component of the project is going to be the creation of the materials and programs, and testing the programs. People were wondering why Georgia and Iowa? “ It’s a good cross section of geography, funding structures, economic conditions, and library leadership, says Cathy De Rosa, global vice president of the marketing for OCLC. This is a big deal for libraries because it was said that there has not been this important of a service done for libraries in years. It is said that even though in a downturned economy with the proper use of this money public funding could continue to erode for libraries. I think it is good that here are donations and funding support groups such as Bill gates, who are trying to benefit libraries. Until taking this class I didn’t realize how important and how useful libraries really are. With more funding towards libraries only bigger and better thing can happen to libraries.