ALAWON v4n40 (May 12, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n40 ****Begin File******************Begin File*******************Begin File**** *************************************************************************** ISSN 1069-7799 ALAWON ALA Washington Office Newsline An electronic publication of the American Library Association Washington Office Volume 4, Number 40 May 12, 1995 In this issue: (228 lines) ACTION ALERT: * HOUSE SUPPORT NEEDED IMMEDIATELY FOR LSTA * BACKGROUND: BLOCK GRANT PROPOSAL SUMMARY * HOUSE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE MEMBERS =20 *************************************************************************** ACTION ALERT: ALAWON asks all library supporters to respond immediately and assertively to this ACTION ALERT. Much has been written here and elsewhere about the current political climate. The following report on the issue of working to get a separate library block grant for library programs demonstrates how critical the situation is right now for the survival of any type of library programs at the federal level. We know the importance of the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) and other library programs to leverage local support and initiate new and cooperative library services, especially in the area of technology. Library advocates must speak up now to Congress and must garner additional support from other library users and supporters to fight to preserve a federal role for library development and technology. *************************************************************************** HOUSE SUPPORT NEEDED IMMEDIATELY FOR LSTA BLOCK GRANT PROPOSAL Attendees at Library Legislation Day on May 9 advocated for a separate library block grant version of the revised Library Services and Technology Act in response to the House Subcommittee proposal to include libraries in the adult education and literacy block grant. A shorter version of the library community's proposed LSTA has been shared with a number of congressional offices by the ALA Washington Office. The House Opportunities Committee legislation has not yet been introduced at this writing, but introduction is imminent. A subcommittee markup is scheduled for May 16, with full committee consideration on May 24--fast track action on this major bill. ACTION NEEDED: Recommend that the House Opportunities Committee approve LSTA in simplified form as a separate library block grant in substitution for making library programs part of an adult education and literacy block grant. All members of the full Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee need immediate follow-up contact from Library Legislative Day visitors and from all other library constituents. The full list of committee members is included below. For background on this subject, the fact sheet included in Library Legislative Day packets is also attached. *************************************************************************** BACKGROUND BLOCK GRANT PROPOSAL May 5, 1995 House Committee Would Merge Library Programs Into Block Grant The House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee staff announced at a briefing on May 4 their intention to introduce on May 10 a package of four block grants for (1) Youth Workforce Preparation, (2) Vocational Rehabilitation, (3) Adult Training, and (4) Adult Education and Literacy. Title IV of this proposal, the Adult Education, Family Literacy and Library Technology Consolidation Grant, according to the committee briefing sheet: Consolidates federal library programs into the block grant mentioned above, focusing funds on library technologies for the 21st century. These funds will be used to link libraries electronically to one-stop centers, Labor Market Information networks, the Internet, and other libraries. An as yet unspecified percentage of funds paid to each governor under this title would be provided to the state library administrative agency for the following purposes: (A) Electronically connecting libraries and one-stop career centers [as established elsewhere in the proposal]. (B) Establishing or enhancing linkages among libraries. (C) Assisting libraries in accessing information through electronic networks. (D) Encouraging libraries in different Federal, State, and local jurisdictions, and different types of libraries, to establish consortia and share resources. (E) Paying costs for libraries to acquire or share computer systems and telecommunications technologies. _Libraries_ means all types of libraries. The proposal provides for the repeal of the Library Services and Construction Act, the new ESEA School Library Media Resources Program, and the Higher Education Act title II, library programs. Funds for title IV would be distributed to states based first on adults without a high school diploma or GED, and second on the state population. A match of 25 percent is required. (The total amount of funds for title IV is not specified. Block grants usually involve significantly less funding than the total of the programs in the consolidation. Current funding for adult education and literacy programs totals about $400 million. Thus, the library percentage might amount to much less than the current $142 million in library program funding.) LSTA PROVIDES A LIBRARY BLOCK GRANT SUBSTITUTE ACTION NEEDED: Include the library community's proposed Library Services and Technology Act, in simplified block grant form, in the House Opportunities Committee block grant proposal as a substitute for the May 3 draft library provision. Why LSTA? The proposed Library Services and Technology Act, cooperatively developed by the library community, is already a major consolidation, simplification, and updating of LSCA. Simplified to essentials, it would provide a more flexible library block grant to stimulate improved library service for a broader range of government purposes and to meet the needs of the public for information. LSTA would ensure that libraries use new technology and provide outreach services=FE * not just for lifelong learning and literacy, but also for * organizing and providing access to government information, * undergirding economic development, * providing consumer health information, * providing incentives for interlibrary cooperation, since most local funding serves local purposes, * adapting new technologies for cross-boundary information sharing, * extending outreach to those for whom library service requires extra effort or special materials (new Americans, individuals with disabilities). *************************************************************************** HOUSE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE ST Representative (Party) Phone Fax E-Mail =3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Area Code 202 @hr.house.gov Chairman PA Goodling, William F. (R) 225-5836 226-1000 AR Hutchinson, Tim (R) 225-4301 226-1163 CA Becerra, Xavier (D) 225-6235 225-2202 CA Cunningham, Randy (R) 225-5452 225-2558=20 CA Martinez, Matthew G. (D) 225-5464 225-5467=20 CA McKeon, Howard P. (R) 225-1956 226-0683 tellbuck CA Miller, George (D) 225-2095 225-5609 gmiller CA Riggs, Frank (R) 225-3311 225-7710=20 CA Woolsey, Lynn (D) 225-5161 225-5163 woolsey DE Castle, Michael N. (R) 225-4165 225-2291=20 FL Weldon, Dave (R) 225-3671 225-3516 GA Norwood, Charles (R) 225-4101 226-1466 ga10 HI Mink, Patsy T. (D) 225-4906 225-4987 IL Fawell, Harris W. (R) 225-3515 225-9420 hfawell IL Reynolds, Mel (D) 225-0773 225-0774 IN McIntosh, David (R) 225-3021 225-3382 IN Roemer, Timothy (D) 225-3915 225-6798 IN Souder, Mark (R) 225-4436 225-3479 KS Meyers, Jan (R) 225-2865 225-0554 MI Hoekstra, Peter (R) 225-4401 226-0779 MI Kildee, Dale E. (D) 225-3611 225-6393 MI Knollenberg, Joe (R) 225-5802 226-2356 MO Clay, William L. (D) 225-2406 225-1725 MO Talent, James M. (R) 225-2561 225-2563 talentmo MT Williams, Pat (D) 225-3211 226-0244 NC Ballenger, Thomas C. (R) 225-2576 225-0316 NC Funderbunk, David (R) 225-4531 225-3191 NE Barrett, William E. (R) 225-6435 225-0207 NJ Andrews, Robert E. (D) 225-6501 225-6583 NJ Payne, Donald M. (D) 225-3436 225-4160 NJ Roukema, Marge (R) 225-4465 225-9048 NY Engel, Eliot L. (D) 225-2464 225-5513 engeline NY Owens, Major R. (D) 225-6231 226-0112 OH Sawyer, Thomas C. (D) 225-5231 225-5278 PA Greenwood, Jim (R) 225-4276 225-9511 PR Romero-Barcelo, Carlos (D) 225-2615 225-2154 RI Reed, Jack (D) 225-2735 225-9580 SC Graham, Lindsey (R) 225-5301 225-3216 TX Green, Gene (D) 225-1688 225-9903 ggreen TX Johnson, Sam (R) 225-4201 225-1485 samtx03 VA Scott, Robert C. (D) 225-8351 225-3854 WI Gunderson, Steve (R) 225-5506 225-6195 WI Petri, Thomas E. (R) 225-2476 225-2356 All e-mail addresses end with suffix at top of e-mail column. *************************************************************************** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. Internet: alawash@alawash.org; Phone: 202-547-4440;=20 Fax: 202-547-7363. Contributing to this issue: Mary Costabile, Carol C. Henderson and Claudette W. Tennant; Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org). ALAWON is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe ala-wo [your name]" to listserv@uicvm (Bitnet) or listserv@uicvm.uic.edu (Internet). Back issues and other documents are available from the list server. To find out what's available, send the message "send ala-wo filelist" to the listserv. The ALA-WO filelist contains the list of files with the exact filename and filetype. To get a particular file, issue the command "send filename filetype" to the listserv. Do not include the quotes in your commands. All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. For other reprinting or redistribution, address requests to the ALA Washington Office (alawash@alawash.org). *************************************************************************** ***End of file******************End of file******************End of file***