ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 14, Number 95 September 22, 2005 In This Issue: [1] Sponsors Needed for Katrina Relief Bill for Gulf Libraries [2] Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants Available HOUSE AND SENATE SPONSORS NEEDED: HOUSE: Library supporters in targeted states (see list #1 below),especially those who have Congressional representatives on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, are asked to contact their representatives and ask them to sponsor a bill proposed by ALA, the "Hurricane Katrina Library Grant bill". SENATE: Library advocates in the states listed below with members on the Senate HELP Committee (see list #2 below) should ask their senators to either sponsor this library relief bill or have it added to the Enzi-Kennedy education relief bill (S.1715). BACKGROUND: ALA has drafted a bill that would authorize an appropriation of $100,000,000 for FY 2006 to provide targeted grants to Gulf-state libraries serving communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The "Hurricane Katrina Library Grant Bill" would provide funds to state libraries to award grants to local libraries located in the Gulf states. The bill would authorize grants for emergency repair of libraries, temporary relocation of damaged libraries, and other emergency assistance including assistance to libraries providing services to evacuees displaced by the hurricane. The bill is in response to the immense damage sustained by every library in the affected zip codes. As damage reports continue to be updated, we find at this writing that in Mississippi, at least 6 public libraries have been totally lost, 15 libraries suffered substantial damage and 25 libraries have suffered more minor damage. It will take over $32 million to rebuild the school libraries in that state. In Louisiana, from what we now know (there are some areas which are still too dangerous to go into), at least 19 libraries have been totally destroyed, 8 have sustained moderate damage and 16 have suffered minor damage. We have no full information on Alabama but there is at least one fully destroyed library and likely others as assessments continue to be made. TALKING POINTS TO CONGRESS: Ask senators and representatives to sponsor the Katrina Library Grant Bill; The bill would provide direct and immediate relief for damaged libraries and to libraries serving evacuees; Funds would be programmed through the affected state library agencies to: a) rebuild, repair or lease temporary space for libraries that have been destroyed or substantially damaged and reestablish public access computing; b) help eligible libraries assess and document inventories and library shelf lists for recovery purposes including insurance, conservation, treatment of salvageable collections, and replacement of lost collections; c) assist libraries serving displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina to enable them to provide expanded public access computing in applying for government benefits, restoring drivers' licenses, communicating with dispersed family members, seeking new employment, as well as helping them provide expanded after school and homework help hours and expanded mobile library services to people in shelters, schools and community groups List #1 - Representatives on the House Education and the Workforce Committee: Boehner(OH),Petri(WI),Mckeon(CA),Castle(DE),Johnson(TX),Souder (IN),Norwood(GA),Ehlers(MI),Biggert(IL),Platts(PA),Tiberi(OH), Keller(FL),Osborne(NE),Wilson(SC),Porter(NV),Kline(MN),Musgrave (CO),Inglis(SC),McMorris(WA),Marchant(TX),Price(GA),Fortuno (Puerto Rico),Jindal(LA),Boustany(LA),Foxx(NC),Drake(VA),Kuhl (NY),Miller(CA),Kildee(MI),Owens(NY),Payne(NJ),Andrews(NJ),Scott (VA),Woolsey(CA),Hinojosa(TX),McCarthy(NY),Tierney(MA),Kind(WI), Kucinich(OH),Wu(OR),Holt(NJ),Davis (CA),McCollum(MN),Davis(IL), Grijalva(AZ),Hollen(MD),Ryan(OH),Bishop(NY),Barrow(GA). List #2 - Senators on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: Enzi(WY),Gregg(NH),Frist(TN),Alexander(TN),Burr(NC), Isakson(GA),DeWine(OH),Ensign(NV),Hatch(UT),Sessions(AL),Roberts (KS),Kennedy(MA),Dodd(CT),Harkin(IA),Mikulski(MD),Jeffords(VT), Bingaman(NM),Murray(WA),Reed(RI),and Clinton (NY). [2] Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants Available As hurricane season continues, please don't forget this federal grant program available to libraries: Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program Funding for the program is provided through the National Pre- Disaster Mitigation Fund to assist States and local governments, include Indian tribal governments, in implementing cost-effective hazard mitigation activities that complement a comprehensive mitigation program. More information can be found at: http://www.fema.gov/fima/pdm. ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. 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