EDUCATION & EARLY DEVELOPMENT, ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF
Our project, Alaska Online With Libraries (OWL), will link Alaskans and their communities to each other and the rest of the world through a statewide network of 104 public library public computing centers. Many users in remote, isolated areas will experience broadband and video conferencing for the first time. The network will be a pathway for our partners to offer job and public safety training, social services, distance education, and heritage preservation. Deliverables will include: increased bandwidth for 65 library PCCs that currently have less than the American Library Association standard for broadband; video- or web-conferencing equipment for all library PCCs; training in basic IT and in videoconferencing for all libraries; and the equivalent of 65 part-time positions in library PCCs currently open less than 20 hours per week to increase the number of hours that these PCCS are open to their communities.
Choose a quarter and click "Go."
| AWARD OVERVIEW |
| Award Number |
02-42-B10560 |
Funding Agency |
Department of Commerce |
| Total Award Amount |
$5,351,378 |
Project Location - City |
Anchorage |
| Award Date |
09/13/2010 |
Project Location - State |
AK |
| Project Status |
More than 50% Completed |
Project Location - Zip |
99501-2338
|
| Jobs Reported |
9.39 |
Congressional District |
00 |
| Project Location - Country |
US |
|
|
Recipient Information
(Grants)
| Recipient Information (Grants) |
|
Recipient Name
|
EDUCATION & EARLY DEVELOPMENT, ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF |
| Recipient DUNS Number |
809386824
|
| Recipient Address |
801 W 10TH ST STE 200 |
| Recipient City |
JUNEAU |
| Recipient State |
Alaska |
| Recipient Zip |
99801-1878 |
| Recipient Congressional District |
00 |
| Recipient Country |
USA |
Required to Report Top 5
Highly Compensated Officials |
No |
Projects and Jobs Information
| Projects and Jobs Information |
| Project Title |
ARRA - PCC - Networking Alaska Public Libraries |
| Project Status |
More than 50% Completed |
| Final Project Report Submitted |
No |
| Project Activities Description |
Public, Society Benefit, General/Other |
| Quarterly Activities/Project Description |
Highlights this quarter included a teen forum with U.S. Senator Mark Begich with students from Unalaska and Craig asking questions directly to the Senator via videoconference. The Barrow library presented a series of talks on crude oil by an expert from the University of New Hampshire. Other libraries participated in a videoconference by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency speaker on Alaska seaweeds. OWL recorded a talk at the Anchorage library by a national speaker unable to fly into Valdez for the state library conference due to weather conditions. These and other project-produced programming are archived on the OWL website. The Haines, Juneau, and Wrangell libraries produced a regular program series centered on regional Alaska Native heritage. Tiny Seldovia hosted former First Lady Barbara Bush and took some of their community to the Great Barrier Reef via videoconferencing. The OWL team conducted two major events: a training for smaller libraries in the OWL network specifically focusing on ways to better utilize their videoconferencing capabilities and more hands-on training on utilizing the equipment and a day-long preconference at the library association meeting, where there was an OWL booth.
We are inching to completion of broadband upgrades and have worked with our vendor to solve testing issues in several communities. Remaining are two libraries where physical obstacles have been the source of delay. One now has an estimated May installation date, and the other is tied up in city permit to create a conduit in a new building. We deployed an IT technician to several remote sites to work on setup issues.
As the quarter ended we followed the state legislature as it considered our Governor's request for sustainability funding for the project. The House finance committee on education first cut the funding and then re-instated it in full as a result of testimony, calls, and public opinion messages. We will know the outcome of this effort next quarter. |
| Jobs Created |
9.39 |
| Description of Jobs Created |
The following positions have been hired as primary project staff and will be retained through the end of the project:
The Alaska OWL (Online With
Libraries) Network Manager is
responsible for day-to-day
operations of the project and
supervises other project staff. This position requires project management and broad video network skills. The position will work closely with the selected internet service provider when the bid for broadband service is
finalized and in the meantime
works with the project advisory board, the project director,project staff, and OWL partners.
The OWL project bookkeeper is stationed in Juneau so that the person can work closely
with State Library and Department of Education and
Early Development finance
personnel and keep us timely
with monthly draw-downs.
The OWL Grant Compliance
Administrator will manage all
aspects of compliance duties
and will work under the
supervision of the Alaska Owl
Network Director and in
collaboration with the Project
Director, the Alaska Library
Development staff, project
partners, and public libraries
throughout Alaska.
The OWL Videoconference Technician is working under a reciprocal services agreement with our partner, University of Alaska Office of Information Technology. They will be responsible for implementing, running and troubleshooting our videoconference network.
The Internet Technology Aides (ITA) in the smallest libraries began working in November. The ITA position is important to the success of the project as they will be onsite at the public computing centers to increase the time that the public computing centers are open, and to troubleshoot computer or videoconference issues in locations that are less technology developed. They will also be tasked with assisting and sometimes training on basic computer operation.
A Supply Technician was hired in the Anchorage office of the Alaska State Library to assist with purchasing PCC supplies and equipment for the Phase 2 libraries.
A project Office Assistant was hired to a short term appointment to assist with data collection, project information collection and organization as well as general office duties related to the project. |
Purchaser Information
(Grants)
| Purchaser Information |
| Contracting Office ID |
Not Reported |
| Contracting Office Name |
Not Available |
| Contracting Office Region |
Not Available |
| TAS Major Program |
13-0554 |
| Award Information |
| Award Date |
09/13/2010 |
| Award Number |
02-42-B10560 |
| Order Number |
|
| Award Type |
Grants |
| Funding Agency ID |
13 |
| Funding Agency Name |
Department of Commerce |
| Funding Office Name |
Not Available |
| Awarding Agency ID |
13 |
| Awarding Agency Name |
Department of Commerce |
| Amount of Award |
$5,351,378 |
| Funds Invoiced/Received |
$2,846,573 |
| Expenditure Amount |
$4,293,869 |
| Infrastructure Expenditure Amount |
$0 |
| Infrastructure Purpose and Rationale |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Name |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Email |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Phone |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Address |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact City |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact State |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Zip |
Not Reported |
Product or Service Information
(Grants)
| Product or Service Information |
| Primary Activity Code |
W01 |
| Activity Description |
Public, Society Benefit, General/Other |
| Sub-Awards Information |
| Sub-awards to Organizations |
0 |
| Sub-award Amounts to Organizations |
$0 |
| Sub-Awards to Individuals |
0 |
| Sub-Award Amounts to Individuals |
$0 |
| Number of Sub-awards less than $25,000/award |
65 |
| Amount of Sub-awards less than $25,000/award |
$298,017 |
| Number of payments to vendors greater than $25,000 |
0 |
| Total Amount of payments to vendors greater than $25,000/award |
$0 |
| Number of payments to vendors less than $25,000/award |
0 |
| Total Amount of payments to vendors less than $25,000/award |
$0 |
| Location Information |
| Latitude, Longitude |
61º 13' 10",
-149º 53' 17" |
| Congressional District |
00 |
| Address 1 |
Alaska State Library - Anchorage |
| Address 2 |
344 West Third St. Ste 125 |
| City |
Anchorage |
| County |
Anchorage |
| State |
AK |
| Zip |
99501-2338 |
|
 |