WASHINGTON, DC -- Area libraries recieving money from the $5.4 million grant include Moundsville-Marshall County, New Martinsville,Paden City, Pine Grove, Sistersville, Tyler County and Wheeling Catholic Elementary

Rockefeller co-authored the E-Rate program, which has greatly increased Internet access by providing discounts on telecommunication services to schools and libraries. This funding reflects the first three funding waves with more to come soon.

“I have been fighting hard for many years to make sure that all students and communities in West Virginia – rich or poor, urban or rural – continue to receive the technology funding they need,” said Rockefeller. “As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, I believe up-to-date technology is critical in linking our students and community members to important resources locally and across the globe.”

Thirteen years ago, Rockefeller worked with his colleagues in the United States Senate to author the E-Rate program. This came at a time when only 14 percent of classrooms were connected to the Internet, and only 5 percent in disadvantaged schools were connected. According to the most recent survey published by the National Center for Education Statistics, the proportion of classrooms with Internet access has grown to 94 percent for all classrooms and 91 percent for disadvantaged classrooms nationwide.

Since the inception of the E-Rate program, West Virginia has received over $106 million in funding, with more than $5 million this year, to help schools and libraries pay the cost of telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections. A breakdown of West Virginia funding levels for each school and library is available on the Universal Service Administrative Company web site at http://www.sl.universalservice.org/funding.