With more than half of Island households having Internet access, Government has taken steps to ensure that the remainder can log on to the World Wide Web for free.

The result of an anonymous donation, since early October, two computers at the Bermuda National Library's Adult Department and one at the Youth Library have been available for free access to the public.

The Minister responsible for the Library, Education Minister Milton Scott and Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb launched the new service officially yesterday.

Sen. Scott sent an e-mail to his daughter who is studying in the US and then boasted "it's in Huntsville, Alabama now''.

Mr. Scott called the computers a "valuable additional resource'' for young people, adding: "A key priority for the Ministry is to improve standards in the basics.

"In today's world that doesn't just mean literacy and numeracy,'' Sen. Scott explained. "Information Technology literacy has become an essential skill as well.'' The initiative is part of an effort this summer to give each of the Island's primary school classrooms a computer and to put new computer labs in two of the middle schools.

Sen. Scott remarked that information technology "opens up many opportunities for our young people''.

"I want to thank the anonymous donor who made this possible for us here and it will expand beyond the number of computers we have here in the library,'' he added. "In subsequent years we will add to the number of computers that are here.'' Sen. Scott and Ms Webb said Government wanted to encourage local companies to assist in the effort not only in the Library but in schools as well.

With the initial donation from the anonymous source, Government now foots the bill for the telephone lines.

Ms Webb said: "Having the Internet in the Libraries is a start of the government vision of making sure that Bermudians who do not have computer access in their home have access to information through the library and throughout Hamilton and around the Island.'' She added that Government is looking at similar Internet access in Post Offices.

"What is clear is that Bermuda is very high with Internet access in the home,'' Ms Webb continued. "Currently we have 56 percent of all Bermuda homes that have Internet access. By world standards that is indeed very high.

"However, for the 44 percent of the Bermuda population that doesn't, Government has to come to wicket and insure that our people have Internet access. Right now the power lies with those who have access to information.'' Ms Webb added: "We have to make sure that Bermudians and particularly our students have access to information for research or for generally surfing the World Wide Web.'' Anyone wanting to use the Library's Internet access cannot book the computers in advance. Usage is strictly on a first come, first serve basis.

One computer at the Adult Library is available for a half-hour slot and the other is available for 15 minutes at a time.

The machine at the Youth Library is limited to a half hour slot.

One machine at each library is equipped with Kurzweil 1000 software that reads what is on a page for the visually impaired. Instruction materials are available on tape and in Braille.

All students under age 18 are required to have a parent's signature to use the Internet and their parents are required to sign the relevant forms at the Library.

For students aged under 14 years, their parents must sign them up a the Youth Library.

Students under age 18 will not be allowed to use the Internet unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

As part of a virus protection protocols, information cannot be downloaded onto disks, but printed copies are available at 25 cents per page.