ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 13, Number 45
July 7, 2004

In This Issue: URGENT Action Needed: PLEASE CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR AMERICA'S LIBRARIES 

The Congressional appropriations subcommittees that maintain jurisdiction over federal library programs are preparing to consider funding levels for fiscal year 2005 as early as this Thursday, July 8th. 

ALA urges you to contact your Members of Congress and ask them to contact the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittees in support of $232 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the Improving Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2005.

The LSTA and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries programs provide critical funding for libraries of all kinds nationwide.  Only by including $232 million for the LSTA and $100 million for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill will we ensure that library patrons of all ages have sufficient access to library and information services, support recruiting and educating the next generation of librarians, and provide libraries the resources they need to improve literacy skills and academic achievement.

Visit ALA's website for more information and talking points on these critical programs:
www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/washfunding/funding.htm

ACTION NEEDED: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to contact the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittees in support of $232 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the Improving Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2005.

Use ALA's Washington Office Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/ala/home/ to identify and fax your Members of Congress in both the House and the Senate.  

You can also call your Member of Congress directly using the U.S. Capitol switchboard at:  (202) 225-3121.



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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; Carol Ashworth, Camille Bowman, Don Essex, Joshua Farrelman, Patrice McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Carrie Lowe, Kathy Mitchell, Carrie Russell. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.