This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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E-learning initiative for North Lanarkshire
18/06/2002
An e-learning initiative to enable local people in North Lanarkshire to develop computer, literacy and numeracy skills was launched today.
The project will provide a focus for lifelong learning within the community, providing a website, an outreach worker and a computer lending service. The website offers electronic learning services that can be delivered straight into people's homes, for beginners to more advanced learners.
Speaking at the launch of the Community Learning Hub, which is based in the Motherwell North Social Inclusion Partnership, the Minister for Finance and Public Services, Andy Kerr said:
"I am delighted to launch this new service and congratulate North Lanarkshire Council on their innovative approach. By targeting educational resources at local libraries, we can help achieve our aim of extending access to technology to all our citizens, for the good of the local community and Scotland as a whole. Education and learning is at the centre of the Executive's priorities and we are committed to Scotland becoming a learning nation.
"To achieve this we are encouraging greater collaboration between education and the library service to promote lifelong learning through the Public Library Network. The purpose of the Network is to ensure all of Scotland's libraries are linked to each other, allowing them to share resources and educational materials. All libraries will be connected to each other by March 2003.
"Local authorities like North Lanarkshire and libraries such as Motherwell are making an important contribution to the process of building a knowledge economy through initiatives such as the Learning Hub and E-Books facility."
North Lanarkshire Council's Community Council's Community Learning hub has been funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Scottish Executive Public Libraries Excellence Fund.