WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) announces that various Maine schools, libraries and school administrative districts will share in $177,375.07 in funding discounts under the E-Rate program, which she and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) authored as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act.

The announcement is part of the sixth year of E-Rate funding for schools and libraries in Maine and nationally during the coming months; since the program began in 1998, Maine has received more than $26 million.

The Snowe-Rockefeller E-Rate provides discounts of between 20 and 90 percent to schools and libraries, depending on their resources and needs, for the cost of education technology. The funding represents the discounts schools will receive for specific telecommunications services. The discounts cover the cost of telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections needed to bring information directly into classrooms and libraries.

Area schools, libraries and school administrative districts receiving an E-rate funding commitment letter are: Cumston Public Library, Monmouth, $479.09; Gray Public Library, $184.02; Livermore Public Library, $436.51; Madison Public Library, $364.80; Maine State Library, Augusta, $129.60; SAD 58, Salem, $55,396.26.

Also, Paris Public Library, South Paris, $441; Parsonsfield Public Library, $390.01; Raymond Village Library, $120; Soldiers Memorial Library, Hiram, $398.08; Stewart Public Library, North Anson, $321.89; Telstar Regional High School, Bethel, $14,940; and Wilton Free Public Library, $840.