[ALST-L] Prishtina National Library will receive aid

[Besnik Pula]

http://www.usia.gov/cgi-bin/washfile/display.pl?p=/products/washfile/latest&f=99
111208.wlt&t=/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml

12 November 1999

Text: First Internet Information Center Opening in Kosovo

(Private\public partnership to provide access, training)  (810)

The first of seven Internet information centers in Kosovo is scheduled
to open this week in Ferizaj "and will serve as a technology and media
training facility, providing Kosovars with free Internet access,"
according to a State Department announcement November 12.
     Several private firms teamed up in a private/public partnership
with the State Department, the International Organization for Migration,
and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish
the centers.
     The Kosovo Information Assistance Initiative will be headquartered
in the Pristina National and University Library. There will be six
regional centers: in Ferizaj, Gjakova, Prizren, Peje, Gjilan, and
Mitrovica.

Following is the text of the notice to the press:

(begin text)

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
Press Statement

Notice to the Press
November 12, 1999

THE FIRST INTERNET INFORMATION ASSISTANCE CENTER TO OPEN THIS WEEK IN
FERIZAJ, KOSOVO

The U.S. Department of State Office of International Information
Programs, the International Organization for Migration and USAID's
Office of Transition Initiatives have formed an innovative
public/private partnership to establish seven Internet information
centers in Kosovo. The first of the seven centers is scheduled to open
this week in Ferizaj and will serve as a technology and media training
facility, providing Kosovars with free Internet access.
     The initial phase of the project will focus on the construction of
the centers, hiring and training of local staff, and establishment of
local and wide area networks to provide internet connectivity. The
Kosovo Information Assistance Initiative will be headquartered in the
Pristina National and University Library in downtown Pristina. There
will be six regional centers established in the cities of Ferizaj,
Gjakova, Prizren, Peje, Gjilan, and Mitrovica. All of the centers are
centrally located and open to the general public.
     The Pristina National and University Library will be transformed
into a state-of-the-art technology and information center. The center
will include a "virtual" on-line library, US$1 million in book
donations, a special children's learning center, a cyber-cafe and
several other community information projects. The goal of this effort in
Kosovo is to establish Pristina, with its National and University
Library, as the "Information Center" in Kosovo - a lively environment
where all Kosovars can come to learn about their history, prepare for
their future, surf the net and develop the necessary skills to rebuild
civil society.
     The Director of the Pristina National and University Library, Mr.
Mehmet Gerguri, will be visiting the United States at the end of
November as part of the U.S. Department of State International Visitors
Program. While in the U.S., Mr. Gerguri will learn about community
programming as he visits some of the country's most renowned public
libraries in Washington, D.C., Chicago and New York. He will receive
instruction from technologists and specialists in the field of Library
Sciences and observe the latest in preservation techniques.
     As the project progresses, each regional center will be able to
develop and implement its own unique programs tailored to meet the
specific needs of each community. Through the State Department's Global
Technology Corps, the Office of International Information Programs will
continue to support the centers by providing government and
private-sector speakers who will conduct seminars and interactive
training in areas such as: computer-based languages and applications,
journalism, media and e-commerce.
     The organizations taking the lead in this partnership include Adobe
Systems, Inc., Apple Computer, Inc., Autometric, Inc., The Brother's
Brother Foundation, Canon Computer Systems, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc.,
The David Sarnoff Corporation, The Document Company Xerox, Gateway and
the Waitt Family Foundation, Hewlett-Packard Company, IDG Books
Worldwide, Inc., The Internet Society, 3M, The Markle Foundation,
MVS/USA, Northwest Airlines, REAL Software, Riso, Inc., RPO Vienna
(STATE), The Sabre Foundation, Inc., Scholastic Inc., Silicon Graphics,
Inc., State Department Educational and Cultural Affairs and Surf Watch
Software. This partnership will deliver hardware, software,
connectivity, technical assistance, training and financial support. The
contributions from the private sector highlight the important role that
U.S. companies can play in the reconstruction of Kosovo.
     "Bringing modern technology to Kosovo through the Kosovo
Information Assistance Initiative is one of the great ways that the
information technology community can help the relief effort. This
public/private partnership is an important step forward in our effort to
help the Kosovars," said Gateway Chairman and CEO Ted Waitt.
     Journalists interested in further information on the Kosovo
Information Assistance Initiative should contact one of the following
individuals:

-- Mary Thomas, Office of Press Outreach, thomasm at panet.us-state.gov
(202) 647-3455

-- Nancy Ozeas, Office of International Information Programs,
nozeas at usia.gov (202) 619-6340

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State)