ALCTS Network News v9n01 (February 22, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/ann/ann-v9n01

                                                      ISSN: 1056-6694

                           ALCTS NETWORK NEWS

                    An electronic publication of the
         Association for Library Collections & Technical Services

                           Volume 9, Number 1
                            February 22, 1995

    In this issue

        IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: NEH FUNDING ON THE LINE TODAY

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         IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: NEH FUNDING ON THE LINE TODAY

Continued funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities is on
the line *today*. Proposed cuts to NEH funding will seriously
jeopardize and in fact eliminate much of the work of NEH's Division of
Preservation and Access. In response to the critical effect of these
cuts, the ALCTS Board of Directors endorsed the following resolution
put forward by the Preservation and Reformatting Section (PARS) at the
Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. This resolution was endorsed by the
ALA Council on February 8, 1995.

This is the text of the PARS resolution:

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR
THE HUMANITIES

WHEREAS, the American Library Association "affirms that the
preservation of library resources is essential in order to protect the
public's right to the free flow of information as embodied in the First
Amendment to the Constitution and the Library Bill of Rights" (ALA
Preservation Policy, 1991); and

WHEREAS, millions of books and documents containing the information
resources and cultural legacy of the United States and other countries
are deteriorating; and

WHEREAS, the National Endowment for the Humanities Division of
Preservation and Access has made a noble beginning in preserving this
legacy, in collaboration with public libraries, historical societies
and academic institutions; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access still has an enormous
amount of work remaining to ensure permanent survival of and continuing
access to the cultural memory contained in various media; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access apolitically supports
the preservation efforts of institutions that hold our cultural memory
in trust for the nation; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access engineers projects
that preserve materials deemed necessary for the education of current
and future American citizens, for example, the ongoing project to
preserve all of the newspapers published in each state of the Union;
and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access provides leadership in
developing a more expansive and inclusive national preservation policy
in terms of both programs and funding; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access embodies government at
its best, achieving excellence in grant-making, and serving as a model
for other nations' preservation initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access promotes development
of and adherence to standards for preservation which have subsequently
been adopted worldwide; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access supports research and
development in preservation technology and processes, which have had an
international impact; and

WHEREAS, the Division of Preservation and Access disperses funds wisely
by encouraging cost-effective cooperation, and has forged a vital
tripartite partnership of federal, institutional and private funding
sources; and

WHEREAS, the work of Division of Preservation and Access is essential
to provide continuing information access for citizens in a democracy;

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the American Library Association
strongly advocates reauthorization and continued funding for the
National Endowment for the Humanities.

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In calling for library supporters to contact Representatives and
Senators *now*, the ALA Washington Office issued the following response
to the crisis in preservation funding in yesterday's electronic
newsletter (edited from ALA-WON v4no12):

Today the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to
consider a bill to rescind or de-fund FY95 NEA, NEH programs.  It is
expected that $5,000,000 will be proposed for de-funding from each of
the two agencies.  One million dollars may be taken from
administration, but the other $4,000,000 will come from individual
grants (in the case of NEA) and across the board deductions of four
million in NEH programs.

Cuts of this magnitude will seriously impact programs like the
preservation of library materials, humanities programs in libraries, as
well as all the important humanities programs.

The ALA Washington Office is delivering a letter to the subcommittee
with two recent resolutions of support for NEA/NEH passed by ALA
Council at the Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.
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ALCTS NETWORK NEWS (ISSN 1056-6694) is published irregularly by the
Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, a division of
the American Library Association. Editorial offices: ALCTS, 50 E. Huron
St., Chicago, IL 60611; Robert P. Holley, President; Karen Muller,
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Advisory Board: Jennifer Younger, Robert P. Holley, David Farrell;
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