LIBRARIES across North Yorkshire and the North-East are to benefit from a £3.5m cash injection for extra computers.

The grants, from the national lottery's New Opportunities fund, aim to increase public access to information technology services such as the internet.

North Yorkshire library services is in line for more than £1m. The grant will provide 250 computers spread over the county's 45 libraries, boosting the number of public terminals from 51 to 301.

It will also pay for extra kit and software, providing free access to word processing and office software along with printing and scanning facilities. All the libraries are to be network linked in a bid to improve the service and the larger centres will also be given video conferencing equipment.

Mr Mike Gibson, acting head of libraries and arts for North Yorkshire County Council, said: "This is a very exciting development for North Yorkshire's library service. It improves existing computer-based services to our regular customers and should also attract people who might not have used us before.

"No matter how big or small, our local libraries are becoming one of the main ways of easily accessing a much larger world of information, education and communication as well as places where people can use or develop their computer skills, regardless of their individual circumstances."

The grant aims to ensure access for all, with special software and equipment to make the system easy to use for people with disabilities.

A pilot scheme has been up and running in the new Ripon library, which opened in October. Mr Gibson said: "Early experience of our new library at Ripon is showing the great public demand which exists for these services and we are delighted that we will be able to offer them to all the county's residents."

Most of the 45 libraries in the county only have one computer and customers have to book time to use the internet. The funding will see the available access for computers soar.

The total number of terminals includes: Bedale, four; Boroughbridge, five; Catterick Garrison, eight; Colburn, six; Easingwold, two; Hawes, two; Helmsley, two; Kirkbymoorside, two; Leyburn, four; Northallerton, 15; Richmond, eight; Ripon, 16; Thirsk, six; Great Ayton, four; Stokesley, four; Scarborough, 35; Sleights, two; Whitby, 13.

Grants from the North-East total more than £2.5m and include projects in Middlesbrough for ethnic minorities, the unemployed, single mothers, the elderly and part time workers. In Stockton, a £50,000 grant aims to link voluntary and community groups and a mobile centre will provide outreach facilities to deprived Teesside areas.

In County Durham, 14 rural schools will house information technology learning centres for adults as part of a £267,000 scheme.