Assistance Programs > Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP)


LEAP Centers in Ukraine

In the last six years, over 130 Internet centers have been opened in public libraries throughout Ukraine as part of the Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP) of the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy. The goal of the program is to provide public libraries with free public access to the Internet and to support the free and open exchange of information that is essential for Ukraine's integration with the world community.

Almost 600 libraries took part in the LEAP grant competitions.

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U.S. EMBASSY AWARDS 5 GRANTS TO UKRAINIAN LIBRARIES TO OPEN INTERNET CENTERS

The U.S. Embassy has awarded grants to 5 Ukrainian public libraries to open free public Internet centers as part of the Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP). The goal of this program is to support Ukrainian citizens' access to information, a cornerstone of democracy. Since 2001, the U.S. government has devoted more than $1.5 million to improving Ukrainian citizens' access to information by opening free Internet centers in public libraries. Libraries have received grants of up to $10,000 for computer equipment, software, and two years of Internet access. Today's grants bring the number of Internet centers opened in Ukraine under this project up to 135.

The 5 winning libraries are:

1. Volovets Central Rayon Library (Zakarpattia Oblast)
2. Irshava Centralized Library System (Zakarpattia Oblast)
3. Zastavna Central Rayon Library (Chernivtsi Oblast)
4. Kelmentsi Central Rayon Library (Chernivtsi Oblast)
5. Novoselytsia Central Rayon Library (Chernivtsi Oblast)

LEAP TRANSFORMS PUBLIC LIBRARIES

More than twenty five public library directors from all regions of Ukraine and officials from Zakarpattia participated in a workshop titled, "Library Electronic Access Project's Role in Transforming Public Libraries in Ukraine" on May 27th -30th, 2008, in Uzhgorod, Zakarpatska oblast. PA Kyiv staff gave presentations on web 2.0 technology and its use in libraries, conducted fish-bowls and panel presentations on a variety of issues connected to Internet access as a library service and project management.

(LEAP news archive)