The city's GLBT community center has a new cyber component after gaining a grant from a technology nonprofit group.

The William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center is set to unveil its new David Bohnett CyberCenter at 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1315 Spruce St.

The center advocates for the well-being and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities through service, recreational, educational and cultural programming.

Philanthropist and technology entrepreneur Bohnett started the David Bohnett Foundation with the goal of improving society through social activism. The foundation provides funding, technology and technical support to organizations including a number of GLBT groups.

The foundation opened its first CyberCenter in 1998 at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. That center was so successful that it served as a blueprint for the 46 CyberCenters the foundation has opened to date in cities throughout the U.S.

Last year, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center at Penn also received a grant from the Bohnett Center and opened a cyber center with eight computer workstations.

"There are a number of community centers across the country that had started CyberCenters as a way to attract folks who are either in town and don't have a computer on them or don't have a computer, and also to be able to provide classes for folks to learn how to use computers," said 'Dolph Ward Goldenburg, William Way's executive director.

The David Bohnett Foundation contributed over $28,000 to fund the William Way's cyber center, which will be able to accommodate 11 people when it opens, providing free access to the Internet and computer classes for the GLBT community.

"We've got eight laptops and three desktops," Goldenburg said. "Additionally, we've made the lobby a wireless environment. Which means, potentially, if people bring their own laptops in, we can accommodate significantly more people."

Goldenburg said he hopes the William Way Center's educational programs will reap the benefits of having the cyber center at their disposal.

"We'll be integrating them into our regular programming," he said. "Next semester at Way Gay U, you'll probably see some computer-related classes."

For more information, visit www.waygay.org or www.bohnettfoundation.org.