Steve Sampson, left, and Phil J. Dudley are just two of the patrons who use the computers at the Moody County Resource Center.

The Moody County Resource Center has met the first match-funding requirement for a grant that provides funding for new computers.

The library secured the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Opportunity Online hardware grant in 2009. The $6,500 grant was contingent upon the library raising $3,900 as a part of the agreement; $1,300 was to be raised by March 2010 and $2,600 by March 2011.

Moody County Resource Center librarian Erica Rorvik said the first $1,300 has been gathered, thanks to donations from the Flandreau All-School Reunion Committee, the Moody County Commission, the disbanded Flandreau Senior Citizen Center and others.

“The community has been very supportive,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without them so we are so grateful.”

Rorvik said the resource center will purchase two new computers when the first part of the grant is awarded in April. The two new machines will replace two outdated computers in the resource center, according to Rorvik.

Two more computers will be purchased in 2011 when the rest of the funding comes through, Rorvik said, assuming the other matching funds are raised.

She said the resource center is already on its way to raising the $2,600 needed by March 2011.

The Gates grant is focused on helping libraries that are serving populations in need of the assistance and which are vulnerable to having their technological service become obsolete. Eligible libraries must obtain local funding commitments and demonstrate community support for maintaining computer upgrades.

Rorvik said it is important for the resource center to have updated computers for use by patrons who might not have those resources at home.

The outdated computers that are now in the resource center sometimes have technical problems and don’t always run smoothly, Rorvik said.

“Patrons will be able to use (resource center computers) more with less problems and maybe more people will be able to access the information they need,” she said.