Institute of Museum and Library Services: "The State of Small and Rural Libraries in the United States"

Link to report.

From page 1.   Congress has long recognized the importance of library services in rural communities. The Library Services Act of 1956, a precursor to the current Library Services and Technology Act, was enacted in part to improve the role that public library services play in rural areas. Nongovernmental agencies have also recognized the important role that rural libraries play in their communities. As an example, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Rural Library Sustainability Project has played a significant role in securing public libraries’ place as community computing centers.