IREX
International Research & Exchanges Board

Global Libraries in Ukraine Planning Grant

Program Overview

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has selected the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) to plan for a program to provide public access computers with Internet access in Ukraine’s public libraries.

At the conclusion of the planning grant, IREX will present the Foundation with a nationwide program implementation plan that includes a set of recommendations for increasing public Internet access throughout Ukraine, along with alternatives and obstacles.

KEY ISSUE AND OBJECTIVE

  • Develop a nationwide program implementation plan for improving public access to information technology in Ukraine.

Project Activities

During 2008, IREX is working closely with the Ukrainian Library Association, governments at the national and local levels, and nongovernmental organizations to jointly design a plan that brings the Internet to the millions of Ukrainians not currently served by the benefits of access. This yearlong information gathering process will focus on how to improve access to the Internet through public libraries, especially for the most underserved.  Activities include:

  • Conducting a needs assessment in close partnership with the Ukrainian Library Association.  This process will gather basic information about the state of Ukraine’s public libraries, existing infrastructure and equipment, and the training and information needs of librarians and communities.
  • Convening a National Vision Forum to bring together key stakeholders and decision-makers in defining a program mission and securing government involvement. Participants from library systems in other countries will share their experience with providing public Internet access, and help identify areas of the greatest potential impact in Ukraine. 
  • Establishing a National Steering Committee consisting of representatives from government, the library system, civil society, and the private sector to discuss the main challenges in providing public access to the Internet at libraries and to advise the project on how to generate the necessary government and community support to sustain this access over the long term.
  • Coordinating with the US Embassy’s Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP) and the USAID-funded Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) to build on past efforts, exchange best practices, and identify areas for collaboration.

Global Libraries

Computers and the Internet connect people to crucial information that can improve health, education, and employment opportunities. Incredibly, the vast majority of the world’s population—more than 87 percent, or 5.5 billion people—lack access to these powerful, modern tools.

To address this disparity, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries initiative forms partnerships with select developing countries to provide free public access to information technology. Global Libraries is helping to transform public libraries into vital tools that can advance the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. IREX partners with the Foundation on Global Libraries planning grants in Romania and Ukraine.

Contact

For more information about the Global Libraries in Ukraine Planning Grant, please email gl@irex.org.