ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 12, Number 27 March 27, 2003 In This Issue: Your URGENT Action Needed! REMINDER: Please call your Senators TODAY! Library supporters are urged to call both of your Senators and ask them to sign onto the letter from Senators Reed and Collins, asking for increased funding for library programs (text of letter follows). In the letter, Senators Reed and Collins ask the ranking members of the Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee for an increase in LSTA funding and $100 million for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries grant program. It is very important that a large number of Senators sign on to the Reed/Collins letter. Your Senator must notify Sen. Reed's office by Monday morning, March 31 that he or she will sign on to this important letter. Time is of the essence, as the appropriations subcommittee will meet April 1. Please do everything you can to encourage your Senators to support important library programs! Please call your Senators TODAY at (202) 224-3121 (Capitol Switchboard number) and ask them to call Senators Reed or Collins and agree to sign on to the letter supporting libraries. Thank you in advance for your support and help. Text of the letter follows: Senator Arlen Specter Senator Tom Harkin Chairman Ranking Member Subcommittee on Labor, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Health and Human Services, and Education Education Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations Dear Chairman Specter and Senator Harkin: We write to urge you to include increases in funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program in the Fiscal Year 2004 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. As you know, the President has rightly proposed increases for these two critical programs in his FY04 budget. Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Libraries are the information hubs of our communities. Around the country, knowledgeable librarians help patrons to access essential information. They offer training on resume development; help on web searches of job banks; workshops on career information; family literacy classes; homework help and mentoring programs; books and resources to support adults and children dealing with loss; information on religions and other cultures; access to government information, both in paper and on-line, and so much more. Our request for an increase is being made within the context of the current reauthorization process for LSTA. We are requesting an increase that meets the President's request of $208 million, plus additional funding to ensure the doubling of the minimum state allotment, included in both House and Senate LSTA reauthorization bills, this fiscal year. A significant increase in funding is also particularly necessary during this time of economic downturn as more and more Americans are turning to their libraries for assistance. Increased funding would allow states to assist libraries in serving their public with expanded access to electronic on-line data and resource materials, information and help for jobseekers, and support for new business and all the many areas of interests in our communities. Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program The 107th Congress recognized the need to improve our nation's school libraries as part of a comprehensive and renewed strategy to ensure that students learn to read and to read well. The No Child Left Behind Act authorized the President's reading proposals, Reading First and Early Reading First, along with the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program to provide students with up-to-date and engaging reading material so they can increase their literacy skills and develop a love for reading. The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program restores much needed support for school libraries. Funding is targeted to high poverty districts, and districts and schools are given flexibility to use the funds to meet local school library needs, such as: purchasing up-to-date books, other reading materials, and technology; providing professional development for school librarians and increasing collaboration among librarians and teachers; establishing resource-sharing initiatives; and expanding access to the school library during non-school hours. In its first year, the Department of Education received over 1,000 qualified applications. With $12.5 million available for the program, only 100 grants could be awarded. The need for school library funds nationwide continues to be great. To increase reading scores, we must provide students with the essential building blocks for reading success - books. We urge you to significantly boost funding for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program to meet the $100 million trigger contained in the law to expand the reach of this effort and meet the achievement gains demanded in the No Child Left Behind Act. Thank you for your consideration of these requests and your continued support and commitment to the role of our nation's libraries in developing a literate, educated, and democratic society. We look forward to working with you. ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc@ala.org or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. To unsubscribe to ALAWON, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. ALA Washington Office, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 403, Washington, D.C. 20004-1701; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478 toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; e-mail: alawash@alawash.org; Web site: http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Camille Bowman, Mary Costabile, Don Essex, Patrice McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Jennifer Hendrix, Carrie Russell, Claudette Tennant. 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