According to news released in Gaborone this week, Botswana is the only African country to be awarded this investment as a partnership with the government. The other countries that benefited include Latvia and Lithuania in Eastern Europe. Currently only about 3.2 percent of Botswana residents use the Internet and none of the 23 branch libraries, 67 village reading rooms or six mobile libraries managed by the BNLS is connected to the Internet for public use. Internet cafes and other fee-based options are limited and available only in major cities of Gaborone and Francistown.

The statement adds that among other things the award will help improve the access to information on public health, agriculture, education and entrepreneurship in Botswana by connecting people with related digital information.

The grant fund will help the BNLS create a business plan to put computers and Internet connectivity and ensure that they are useful and used over a long term. Planning will include an assessment of infrastructure, community needs and connectivity options. Part of the grant will also support a pilot project that will provide computers in up to five sites to test assumptions and demonstrate potential.

After completing the planning process next year, Botswana would be eligible for an additional grant to roll out the project. The roll out will include support for capacity building in areas crucial to sustainability, including training mechanisms, technical support and community involvement. Impact assessment will also form a key component, linking to efforts to engage partners, raise awareness among stakeholders and gain long-term support for the program. Software would be donated by Microsoft, which is a separate legal entity from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Botswana was invited to apply for the grant based on a number of criteria including demonstrated need, the presence of a strong library system, appropriate infrastructure such as electricity and Internet capability demonstrated leadership and commitment to public access to technology and the potential for implementing and sustaining this critical service.

BNLS will partner with the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships to link the technology access project with efforts to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in Botswana and build on the Gates Foundation's existing relationship with Botswana through Global Health Programme.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Libraries initiative has been helping libraries worldwide provide no cost access to computers and technology since 1997. BNLS is an agency of the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs.