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New Program At Atmore, Flomaton Libraries To Allow Families To Talk To Deployed Relatives
December 11, 2008
Area families that have loved ones deployed overseas in the military will soon be able to visit public libraries in Atmore and Flomaton and visually communicate with video conferencing software.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced the “Connecting Families” program Tuesday. Families who have loved ones deployed overseas will be able to visit public libraries across the state and visually communicate with them using computers equipped with video web cameras.
The new program puts the video webcams and computers in more than 100 libraries throughout the state. The cameras and computers will soon be installed at the Atmore Public Library and the Flomaton Public Library. Families will be able to make appointments with the libraries when they can come in and use the technology to see and talk to their deployed family members.
“We’re grateful not only for our troops but also for the families who serve by their side, even though thousands of miles often separate them. Like our soldiers, the families sacrifice so much. Anytime we have an opportunity to help our brave troops and their families back home, we must take it,” Governor Riley said.
Rebecca Mitchell, director of the Alabama Public Library Service, said Alabama is the only state in the nation with this program.
Connecting Families is a partnership between the public library service and the Alabama Broadband Initiative that Governor Riley launched earlier this year. The program got its start thanks to grant funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
But the program’s real impetus came from Chief Warrant Officer Randy Hickman, who was unable to communicate via webcam with his family in Elmore County while he was serving in Iraq. The problem wasn’t due to a lack of broadband access at his base in Iraq, but rather because his home 20 miles outside Montgomery didn’t have high-speed Internet access.
Hickman contacted Governor Riley’s office, which got the Broadband Initiative involved. The Governor and Mitchell announced Connecting Families at the Wetumpka (Ala.) Public Library, with Hickman and his family in attendance.
The project got its first demonstration today at the Wetumpka library when Col. Christopher Morgan, who is currently serving in Afghanistan, visited with his wife Leslie and their children via the video hookup.
Pictured above: Alabama Gov. Riley stands with the family of Col. Christopher Morgan in front of a computer at the Wetumpka (Ala.) Public Library as they communicate with Col. Morgan, who is serving in Afghanistan, by means of the “Connecting Families” program launched Wednesday. The program will soon be available at the Atmore and Flomaton libraries.
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