News and information

Press release
24 October 2008 

Get online day gets underway at Holborn Library

Today the second national Get online day was kicked off at Holborn Library UK online centre.  

Off-line volunteers from the local Camden area started the ball rolling by sending their first emails, and thousands of people across the country are expected to follow in their footsteps and get online for the very first time today.  

Get online day is part of Family Learning Festival, and targets the one in three adults in the country who still don’t use computers and the internet.  There are more than 500 events running at UK online centres up and down England, offering techno-phobic parents, grandparents, and carers – and even aunts and uncles – the chance to find out how getting online could help them and the rest of the family in everyday life.  

As well as brand new internet-users, Holborn Library played host to UK online centre learners from other Camden Council libraries, and special guest Paul Murphy MP, the Minister for Digital Inclusion.  He chatted to visitors about their experiences of getting and being online, and their plans for their next online ‘firsts’.  Mr Murphy was there to launch a new consultation on digital inclusion – the Government’s blueprint for making sure everyone gets an equal chance to make the most of technology.  

Paul Murphy says:  “It’s always inspiring to meet people who have taken that first step into the digital world, because you can see the opportunities opening up before them.  Getting a helping hand to start using technology can be so important, and that’s why Get online day is such an important date in the digital inclusion calendar.  It is therefore the perfect day to launch our plans for future action on digital inclusion, Delivering Digital Inclusion, an Action Plan for Consultation.  Having the skills, confidence and support to make digital choices and take digital opportunities is vitally important in today’s world, and everyone should be able to access resources which help them.  That’s our goal, and I’m delighted to begin the process by launching this consultation today.”

Also attending the event was Councillor Flick Rea, Executive Member for Culture at Camden Council.  She adds:  “The first UK online centre in Camden Council’s libraries opened seven years ago, and since then we’ve helped thousands of local people get to grips with computers and the internet.  It’s therefore a great pleasure to host the launch of Get online day at Holborn Library, and be part of a national push to get thousands more people online in a single day.  Using the internet really can help people save time, hassle and even money - but if you don't know how to use it, it can be a scary prospect.  That’s where UK online centres like ours come in, and I’d recommend anyone to pay us a visit.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve never even touched a computer before, and it doesn’t matter if you missed Get online day itself!  We can help you help yourself to the wonders of the worldwide web.”

Helen Milner, Managing Director of UK online centres, concludes:  “I’m delighted the Minister could join us today in Holborn to celebrate this year’s Get online day, and I’m excited about the launch of the new digital inclusion consultation.  Digital inequality creates issues not just for individuals but for entire families, communities, society and the economy as a whole.  The Action Plan is a first step in shaping how we address digital exclusion, and I’m looking forward to being part of the consultation and future development of the ideas and actions it introduces.”  

Ends

For more information on Get online day, please contact Abi Stevens at UK online centres on 0790 987 5890 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information on Delivering Digital Inclusion, an Action Plan for Consultation, please contact Heather Monro at Communities and Local Government on 0207 944 8912 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information about the role of Digital Inclusion Minister Paul Murphy MP, please contact Andrew Mathias at the Wales Office on 0207 270 0565 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Picture caption:  Digital Inclusion Minister Paul Murphy MP chats to UK online centres visitor Maggie Kenny at the Get online day launch in Holborn Library.  

Notes to Editors