Microsoft lends access to future
libraries Online! will allow people to check out Internet in libraries
By Lobi Robison
Staff Reporter
The future is now.
And thanks to a new program by
Microsoft Corp. and the American Li
brary Association, more Americans
will have access to the future.
Libraries Online!, a philanthropic
program reminiscent of U.S. steel ty
coon Andrew Carnegie’s library reform
efforts of the last century, will provide
Internet access and multimedia per
sonal computers to libraries across the
country.
The program is being funded
through a $10.5 million grant by
Microsoft and will target economically
disadvantaged communities.
Expanded from a successful nine
city pilot project begun in Octobei
1995, Libraries Online! will be offered
to 215 communities across the coun
try, including Nebraska libraries.
Mary Jo Ryan, spokeswoman foi
the Nebraska Library Commission
described Microsoft’s donation as
seeumoney uiai in uuiimay pruviuc
an opportunity for Nebraska libraries
to tap into otter sources of corporate
donations.
This, Ryan said, would enable Ne
braska libraries to continue to offer the
latest in technology and resources.
“The role of the library will be even
more important in the future,” she said.
“It’s important that the information on
the Internet be made available to ev
eryone,” Ryan said, “not just to those
who can afford it.”
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill
Gates said in a press release that pro
viding multimedia PCs and public ac
cess to the Internet may revolutionize
the traditional role of libraries in U.S.
communities.
“Libraries will play a pivotal role
as we enter the 21 st century in provid
ing access to knowledge and opportu
nities for everyone,” he said.
Libraries Online! will be available
for public use in Nebraska libraries by
March 1997.
The NLC will release the criteria
for Nebraska library sites next month,
Kyan said. Eligibility will be deter
mined through the cooperative efforts
of the following: the Nebraska Com
mission on Indian Affairs, Nebraska’s
Regional Library Project, Nebraska
Department of Economic
Development’s Governor’s Global
Community Initiative Project, Ne
braska Development Network and the
Nebraska Rural Development Com
mission.
After the criteria are determined,
communities will submit applications
to receive a slice of the $125,000 grant
pie. The NLC will choose library sys
tems based on economic need, staff
ability to meet technological needs and
community potential for development.
Ryan said the NLC hoped to share
grant resources with libraries across the
entire state with the goal of providing
the same resources offered at Univer
sity Libraries.
“The ideal,” Ryan said, “would be
for students who come home during
vacations to have access through their
local library to the same resources they
have access to at school.”
Inclement weather policy goal olAbUJN
By Tasha E. Kelter
Staff Reporter
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it
snow!
On the icy road to fulfilling one of
ACTION’S campaign promises, an
A SUN senator has started researching
the university’s policy on canceling
classes in severe winter weather.
ASUN Arts and Sciences senator
Sara Russell said the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln does not have a
policy stating when classes should be
canceled because of blizzards or other
winter conditions.
j The university bases class cancel
lation on suggestions to the vice chan
»~ 1
cellor for business and finance from the
snow removal crews and staff members
in telecommunications, facilities man
agement and other relevant depart
ments.
The vice chancellor advises the
chancellor, who makes the final deci
sion.
“We think there were days when
classes maybe should have been can
celed,” Russell said. Whether to can
cel classes should be based on driving
conditions and concern for students’
health, she said.
Russell said she wants to get feed
back from the senators on any changes
they would like to see. She said she
wants to see if the Association of Stu
dents of the University of Nebraska can
implement a formal policy.
In other ASUN action, legislation
was passed detailing the guidelines for
the Outstanding Educator Award. The
senate also passed the Student Organi
zation Orientation legislation, which
states that ASUN will help the Student
Involvement Office in promoting and
planning the orientation.
Also at the meeting, Speaker of the
Senate Curt Ruwe announced the need
to fill the vacated law senator position.
Applications may be picked up in
the ASUN office and are due Friday.
The position is open to any law stu
dent in good academic standing.
Sexual Assult
Lincoln police are investigating
two unrelated rapes that occurred
earlier this week.
One woman told police she was
raped by her ex-boyfriend in her
home at 3 a.m. Tuesday, Sgt. Ann
Heermann said.
Her ex-boyfriend began kissing
her, and she told him to stop,
Heermann said. He became rough
with her and allegedly sexually as
saulted her, Heermann said.
Another woman told police she
was raped in her south Lincoln
home Monday between 8:40 pjn.
and 9 p.m., according to police
records.
Sexual Assault
Police arrested a 39-year-old
Lincoln man Tuesday night for al
legedly molesting his 13-year-old
stepdaughter.
The girl was sleeping in her
home when she felt her stepfather
touching her inner thigh, Heermann
said.
He left the room when she told
him to leave her alone, but returned
several times, Heermann said. One
time he came back wearing only a
bathrobe and allegedly began mas
turbating, Heermann said.
Police arrested and took the man
into custody for sexual assault on a
child.
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