AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

17 April 2007

Free internet at all Auckland city libraries

Free access to the internet will be available at all 17 Auckland city libraries from Thursday 26 April.

The service will be funded as part of $25 million being spent by Auckland City Council during the next decade on enhancing the city's community facilities.

The free internet service will allow people to freely access information and knowledge, create opportunities for communities of interest to engage online, and enable greater participation in online e-government and e-democracy resources.

The environment that Auckland City Libraries is providing its customers is changing rapidly. The free internet service will meet expectations that people are able to access information from any source, using computers, at their local library.

Auckland City Libraries group manager Allison Dobbie, says using free internet within a library space is simply another way customers can find information in a supportive and friendly environment. "Libraries are magnets for information discovery. Research tells us people want free internet access at their fingertips. Providing free access to the internet is another opportunity for Auckland City Libraries to engage and connect with the community.”

ENDS

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