Joeten-Kiyu Library seeks E-Rate award
The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library has applied for the Education Rate award as it vowed to make good use of every dollar that may be saved once its application for the federally-funded program is granted, it said in a media statement released yesterday.
A 128 Kbps dedicated connection to the Internet will be the basis of the public library’s technology infrastructure, which could allow the institution’s administration to save $30,000.
“Our E-Rate award will be the highest percentage (actually a 90% discount on the purchase of infrastructure hardware, software, and cabling) and will put Joeten-Kiyu Public Library and PSS on the cutting edge of technology,” the media statement reads.
E-Rate is the result of a regulatory decision made by the Federal Communications Commission on May 7, 1997 to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The FCC decision means that beginning January 1998, K-12 schools and libraries would be eligible for up to $2.25 billion a year in discounts for a wide range of telecommunications services.
In year three of the program, about $2.52 billion had been available. Funding year for the program’s year four will begin on July 1 and ends June 30, 2002.
These discounts help K-12 schools and libraries throughout the United States and the Northern Marianas establish high-quality connections to the Internet.
The discounts range from 20-90 percent on all eligible telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections. Schools will receive the saving through discounts from telecommunications services.
