****Begin File******************Begin File*******************Begin File**** *************************************************************************** ALAWON ALA Washington Office Newsline An electronic publication of the American Library Association Washington Office Volume 2, Number 1 January 6, 1993 In this issue: (261 lines) ALA MIDWINTER ALERT HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR FOR THE 103rd CONGRESS TRANSITION ACTIVITIES NCLIS TO MEET IN DENVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY BOARD TO MEET *************************************************************************** ALA MIDWINTER ALERT The American Library Association's Committee on Legislation invites all attendees of the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Denver to join the committee at its Information Update session: ALA COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION INFORMATION UPDATE Saturday, January 23, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Colorado Convention Center, Rooms A-108-110 Denver, Colorado Agenda Introduction to the Program Thomas L. Hart, Chair ALA Committee on Legislation GPO WINDO/Gateway Bills; The Honorable Charlie Rose (D-N.C.) Outlook in New Congress Chairman, House Administration Committee (invited) Regional Networks and Eric S. Hood, NorthWestNet, and Internet Access President, FARNET (Federation of for Libraries American Research Networks, Inc.) Rural Telecommunications Kenneth Kuchno Programs in Which Public Utilities Specialist Libraries Can Participate Rural Electrification Administration, Colorado Springs LSCA and HEA Support for Ray Fry, Director Internet-related Projects Office of Library Programs, OERI, in Libraries U.S. Department of Education Clinton Transition Eileen D. Cooke, Director Activities; School Washington Office Library Legislation American Library Association *************************************************************************** HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR FOR THE 103rd CONGRESS The address for all Representatives is: The Honorable (member's name) U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 It is not necessary to include the Representative's room number. ___________________________________________________________________________ Majority Minority William D. Ford, MI (Chair) William F. Goodling, PA William (Bill) Clay, MO Thomas E. Petri, WI George Miller, CA Marge Roukema, NJ Austin J. Murphy, PA Steve Gunderson, WI Dale E. Kildee, MI Richard K. Armey, TX Pat Williams, MT Harris W. Fawell, IL Matthew G. Martinez, CA Paul B. Henry, MI Major R. Owens, NY Cass Ballenger, NC Thomas C. Sawyer, OH Susan Molinari, NY Donald M. Payne, NJ Bill Barrett, NE Jolene Unsoeld, WA John A. Boehner, OH Patsy T. Mink, HI Randy "Duke" Cunningham, CA Robert E. Andrews, NJ *Peter Hoekstra, MI John F. Reed, RI *Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, CA Tim Roemer, IN *Dan Miller, FL *Eliot L. Engel, NY *Xavier Becerra, CA *Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, VA *Gene Green, TX *Lynn Woolsey, CA *Carlos Romero-Barcelo, PR *Ron Klink, PA *Karan English, AZ *Ted Strickland, OH vacancy * New to the Committee *************************************************************************** TRANSITION ACTIVITIES The ALA Washington Office has been in touch with a number of the incoming Clinton Administration transition officials and "cluster" teams as they prepare reports on federal agencies and issues. ALA has been involved on its own and with a variety of other library associations and broader coalitions in which ALA participates, such as the Committee for Education Funding and Independent Sector, with the aim of getting to know the new Administration's personnel and policies, and to forward ALA's policy positions whenever possible. For instance, ALA Washington Office Director Eileen Cooke participated with other library group and public interest group representatives in a December 16 meeting of the transition cluster for the Federal Communications Commission led by Ron Plesser, legislative counsel for the Information Industry Association. Plesser was to meet with industry representatives later that week. The ALA Washington Office also helped develop _Blueprint for a Better Tomorrow -- A Plan for Federal Investment in Education_, designed to present a powerful set of arguments for moving quickly and boldly to make the changes necessary and to provide the financial resources to accomplish the national education goals. The 122-page document published by the Committee for Education Funding, a coalition of 100 education organizations, was quickly snapped up by transition officials, and was also distributed to new and continuing Representatives and Senators. Few copies are left, but further information is available from CEF, 555 Capitol Court NE, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20002, 202-543-6300. Further, we are making efforts to keep in touch as much as possible with the growing attention to the "information infrastructure" by the new Administration and groups hoping to influence it. Any infrastructure investments may mean not just bridges and roads but electronic networks. In this connection, the Washington Office also provided to transition officials a rough estimate of what it would cost to provide basic Internet access for the nation's 15,000 main and branch public libraries. While the suggested dial-up access would not meet the full needs of all public libraries, it would go beyond e-mail and would allow public libraries access to the growing variety of information resources available via the Internet. See below for details on this estimate. For the easiest and earliest possible federal action, the $75,250,000 total is recommended to be appropriated under the Library Services and Construction Act title III, Interlibrary Cooperation and Resource Sharing program. We consider this an estimate "in progress" and would welcome comments and suggestions. PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCESS TO THE INTERNET FIRST YEAR COST FOR BASIC ACCESS: $75,250,000 RECOMMENDED VEHICLE: Library Services and Construction Act title III, Interlibrary Cooperation and Resource Sharing, funded in FY93 at $19,749,000. Administered by Office of Library Programs, Dept. of Education. Already authorized and funded, LSCA III provides for allotments to each state library administrative agency for the purpose of developing the technological capacity of libraries, and for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of all types of libraries. States develop a plan for LSCA III resource sharing with considerable public input. States may provide statewide services directly, provide subgrants to libraries or library systems, or contract with other providers of services. BASIS OF COST ESTIMATE: Number of U.S. public libraries (main and branches) - 15,000 $30,000,000 $2,000 for a personal computer with 9600 baud modem and communications software package for 15,000 PLs. $37,500,000 $2500 approximate first year cost for dial-up access to local point of presence for 15,000 PLs. (Based on NYSERNET HOST-DIAL package for low cost host integration into the Internet, and available nationally through PSINet.) $ 3,250,000 $65,000 average first year salary and benefits for one computer/telecom consultant at each state library agency. (Expected to be used for application-specific training and for technical support for equipment- and site-specific problems.) $ 4,500,000 $300 worth of training for 15,000 PLs. ___________ $75,250,000 TOTAL * *UNKNOWN VARIABLE: An additional element of the cost of access for public libraries is an unknown variable at this time -- the cost for public libraries outside the local calling area to connect to a point of presence. A number of different approaches to this problem are possible. With assistance, some state library agencies may choose to subsidize rural library access. CONCLUSION: Any significant portion of this cost, provided in additional appropriations above the current $19.7 million level through LSCA III, would provide for rapid progress in public library access to the Internet, and would spur use of the Internet for after-school and lifelong and informal learning and research, community information, health care, small business, etc. Revised draft prepared by Carol C. Henderson, December 17, 1992 *************************************************************************** NCLIS TO MEET IN DENVER The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science will meet on Thursday, January 21, 1993 from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm, and on Friday, January 22, 1993 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Warwich Hotel, 1776 Grant Street, Denver, Colorado. The agenda is as follows: Chairman's report Executive Director's report NCLIS AMERICA 2000: Library Partnership Ad Hoc Committee Report Status of NCLIS Publications: * NREN open forum report * Pathways to Excellence: A Report on Improving Library and Information Services for Native American Peoples * NCLIS Annual Report, FY 1991-92 Ward E. Shaw, Chairman of CARL Systems, Inc. (tentative) Nancy Bolt, Colorado State Librarian (tentative) Committee Reports: * Budget and Finance Committee * International * Legislative and Library Statistics * Public Affairs * Recognition Public Comment Unfinished Business For further information, contact Barbara Whiteleather, NCLIS, Suite 310, 1111 18th St. NW, Washington, DC 20036, phone 202-254-3100. *************************************************************************** NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY BOARD TO MEET The National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board will meet on Monday, January 11, 1993 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and on Tuesday, January 12, 1993 from 9:00 am to 12 noon. The meetings are open to the public and will be held at the National Institute for Literacy, 800 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006. The proposed agenda includes discussion of program priorities, recruitment process for the selection of the Institute Director, vision and mission of the Institute and organization structure of the Institute. For further information, contact Thomas R. Hill, Executive Officer, at the above address or phone 202-632-1500. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** ALAWON is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. Editor and List Owner: Fred King. Phone: 202-547-4440; Fax: 202-547-7363; Bitnet: NU_ALAWASH@CUA; Internet: NU_ALAWASH@CUA.EDU All or part of ALAWON may be redistributed, with appropriate credits. ALAWON is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. 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