The Illinois State Library (ISL) stated in its weekly digital newsletter E-news from the ISL that Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian, has announced that three public libraries — two new to the program and one returning to it — are joining his Project Next Generation (PNG) program. With PNG, “young people learn important technology skills and receive life training from qualified mentors.”
The two libraries new to the program are the Four Star Public Library District in Mendon, Illinois and the Mississippi Valley Library District in the Fairmont City Library Center. The library returning to the program is the Lincoln Library, the Public Library of Springfield.
Secretary White founded PNG in 2000. According to the ISL’s homepage for PNG, the goal of PNG “is to bridge the digital divide by making recent technologies accessible to students who have limited access to computers. At the same time, the program strives to provide a safe and friendly environment filled with positive role models. The mentors involved with the program foster the development of their students by helping them gain technical knowledge necessary for future educational and professional success and to develop self-confidence and pride. This program has been extremely successful and continues to move into new areas of the state each year, so remember to keep checking this web site for updates on the latest developments.”
There are other PNG program operations located in public libraries in Alton, Beardstown, Bloomington, Carbondale, Centralia, Champaign, Danville, Decatur, Elmwood Park, Freeport, Harrisburg, Joliet, Kankakee, Peoria, Richton Park and Sparta. To learn more about PNG, check out the Find-It! Illinois website.
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