Rep. Harding: 'Grant to Bethel Library is Well Deserved'

HARTFORD – Libraries are no longer merely home to countless shelves of books: today they are hubs of varying informational resources. Many residents of Bethel benefit from free access to computer internet services at the Bethel Public Library. State Rep. Stephen Harding (R-107) is therefore pleased to share with constituents that the Connecticut State Library Board has approved a grant of $25,100 for the library to install a high-speed fiber connection to the Connecticut Education Network (CEN).

Established in 2000, the CEN delivers reliable, high-speed Internet access, data transport and value added services throughout Connecticut at equitable rates.

“The staff at the Bethel Public Library work so diligently to provide access to high-quality tools and resources that residents can use to expand their education or just enjoy a new story,” said Rep. Harding. “It is a highly-valued establishment for so many families in our community, making this grant very much deserved and appreciated.”

According to the Library Board, public libraries like the one in Bethel serve as critical gateways to information outside one’s own community, and in the Information Age this role has become even more important. Libraries give people free access to research and other networks online, which helps close the digital divide. As reliance upon libraries to provide broadband telecommunication services increases, it is now essential to have universal high-speed connectivity available.

The connection at the Bethel Public Library is expected to be completed just after the New Year.