610 Quincy St. Ÿ Rapid City, SD 57701

605-394-4171 Ÿ www.rapidcitylibrary.org

Date: April 10, 2006

To: Greta Chapman

From: Terri Davis

Re: Gates “Staying Connected” grant opportunity

Action needed: Board approval to apply for “Staying Connected” grant from the Gates Foundation; a successful application would save the library approximately $10,700 in computer replacement costs.

Background: In 2002, the library received a grant from the Gates Foundation to provide four public access computers and a network server. Those computers have been well utilized by the public, and now require replacement.

The Gates Foundation has acknowledged that computers need to be upgraded or replaced, and have provided a new opportunity to do so. As a recipient of the original Gates grant, we are invited to apply for replacement computers through the Gates “Staying Connected” initiative.

We had budgeted for replacement of these computers in 2006 through our ongoing equipment replacement schedule; however, a successful grant application would provide 2/3 of the funding to do that. The overall replacement cost for the computers and server is projected to be $16,000; through the “Staying Connected” grant, our cost would be only $5,280, with the remainder paid by the South Dakota State Library and the Gates Foundation.

The approximately $10,700 saved through this grant application could then be applied towards implementation of new technology, or for technology required for implementation of the space use plan.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER