****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 3, Number 7 February 16, 1994 In this issue: (108 lines) FY 1995 CLINTON BUDGET FOR LIBRARIES *************************************************************************** FY 1995 CLINTON BUDGET FOR LIBRARIES: YEAR TWO -- SAME SCENARIO LSCA -- Level and Zero The Clinton Administration's FY 1995 budget request of February 7, contains the same good news and bad news for library programs as his budget for 1994; however,the largest LSCA program for improvement of public library services would be level funded. Clinton's State of the Union address which described extending the information infrastructure to every "school and library" is addressed in the budget by funding of LSCA Title III-- Interlibrary Cooperation, where the "requested level would enable the States to expand their networking capabilities and library participation in development of the national information infrastructure," at a funding level of $19.7 million, the same as FY 1994. All other LSCA programs--Public Library Construction, Foreign Language Materials and Library Literacy Programs would be zero funded. The LSCA total would drop by $25.9 million. HEA Library Programs -- All Zeroes All Higher Education Act library programs ($17.5 million) would be eliminated. The rationale is the same disappointing rhetoric of last year which claims libraries can use their institutions' budgets to share resources beyond their own campuses or localities, and claims "there is no need for additional support for training of library personnel that cannot be met through other forms of financial assistance, such as student financial aid." Research and demonstration grants are zeroed out because "funds are available for this activity from other sources, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and private foundations." Budget Does Not Match Clinton/Gore Priorities The budget rationale repeats the same tired statements which Congress rejected for more than a decade. It does not reflect the Administration's stated priorities. Libraries fit more clearly than almost any other public institution into the Clinton priorities for an information superhighway, and for reaching the national education goals of children starting school ready to learn and the development of literate adults. Can the nation really not afford another $43.4 million for libraries? That's the modest sum represented by the zeroed out Department of Education library programs in the Administration's budget request. Library Programs Hit Hardest Of the programs proposed for elimination in the Department of Education budget, about one-fourth are library programs--a heavier hit than any other area of the budget and a hit on programs which have suffered through 12 years of zero or near zero budget recommendations--barely holding their own through strong bipartisan congressional support. Libraries are the infrastructure for education and literacy; they should not have to suffer further at a time of investment in change for the future. Program (amounts in thousands) FY 1994 FY 1995 Approp. Admin. Request LIBRARY SERVICES & CONSTRUCTION ACT $ 128,866 $ 102,976 Title I, public library services 83,227 83,227 II, public library construction 17,972 -0- III, interlibrary cooperation 19,749 19,749 IV, Indian library services 2 % of LSCA I, II, and III V, foreign language materials -0- -0- VI, library literacy programs 8,098 -0- ------------------------------------------------------------------- HIGHER EDUCATION ACT $ 17,443 $ -0- Title II-A, college library tech. 3,873 -0- II-B, library education 4,960 -0- II-B, research & demonstrations 2,802 -0- II-C, research libraries 5,808 -0- VI sec 607, foreign res. materials -0- -0- *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. 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