****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 4, Number 69 July 25, 1995 In this issue: (131 lines) SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES MINOR CHANGES IN LSTA BILL, S. 856 APPLE FILES FCC PETITION TO MAKE FREE PUBLIC SPECTRUM AVAILABLE BUNDLING OF MICROSOFT NETWORK WITH WINDOWS 95 SPURS DOJ INVESTIGATION ***************************************************************** SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES MINOR CHANGES IN LSTA BILL, S. 856 When the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee approved an amended version of S. 856, the Arts, Humanities, and Museums Amendments of 1995, on July 19 by a 12-4 vote, the revised text included several minor amendments to the library/museum portions of the bill. As introduced, S. 856 includes the full Library Services and Technology Act proposed by ALA and other library groups, and would have LSTA administered by a combined Institute of Museum and Library Services. LSTA REVISIONS. A number of mostly technical amendments were made to library service provisions. A few of the more substantive changes are highlighted below. Additional language was added regarding qualifications of personnel in the Institute's Office of Library Services. The Deputy Director is to be appointed by the Director "from among individuals who have a graduate degree in library science and expertise in library and information services." The Director is to give strong consideration to individuals with experience in administering State-based "and national library and information services" programs. For the national leadership program in library science, the Director is to make every effort to ensure that activities are administered by appropriate library "and information services professionals or experts and science professionals or" experts. Suggested priorities for services to children in poverty would be expanded to include "summer and vacation reading programs," and "development of coalitions and training programs involving libraries and other service providers in the State." The maximum amount that a state reserves under subchapter B (special services) for children in poverty is not to exceed 15 percent. NCLIS REVISIONS. Several changes to the membership of the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science made by S. 856 as introduced would be reversed. The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services would become an ex officio nonvoting member, rather than a full member of the Commission. The Librarian of Congress would remain as a member of the Commission. The proposed requirement that six of the appointive members be librarians would be restored to the current five. MUSEUM REVISIONS. The authorization level for museum services would be reduced from $50 million to $28.7 million for FY96 and such sums for FY97-2000. (The authorization level for library services remains unchanged at $150 million.) Operational expenses of museums would no longer be eligible for assistance. NEA REVISIONS. Total authorizations for the National Endowment for the Arts would be $153,900,000 in FY96, declining to $125,353,000 for FY2000. In the bill as introduced, the comparable amounts were $158,760,000, declining to $146,440,000. An emphasis on underserved communities would be added throughout the National Endowment for the Arts. No NEA grants to individuals would be allowed except for literature followships. NEH REVISIONS. Total authorizations for the National Endowment for the Humanities would be $160,117,000 in FY96, dclining to $130,397,000 in FY2000. In the bill as introduced, the comparable amounts were $168,560,000, declining to $155,490,000. NEXT STEPS. The Senate committee must issue a report on the revised bill (at which time the revised text will be officially released). The next step is to schedule Senate floor action; there is only a slim chance that the bill would be taken up before the August recess. ALA RESOLUTION. On June 28 during the ALA Annual Conference, the ALA Council passed a resolution (CD #20.11) commending the sponsors of S. 856, Senators Jim Jeffords (R-VT), Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Claiborne Pell (D-RI), Alan Simpson (R-WY), and Christopher Dodd (D-CT), for including the full LSTA proposal in their bill. The resolution was transmitted prior to the July 19 committee markup session on S. 856. ***************************************************************** APPLE FILES FCC PETITION TO MAKE FREE PUBLIC SPECTRUM AVAILABLE On May 24, 1995, Apple Computer, Inc. filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the agency to begin hearings on the creation of a new unlicensed wireless radio service of 3-- MHz in the 5 GHz range. As proposed, this "NII Band" would not require access fees and could provide another means for libraries and other institutions to implement local network infrastructures that will connect with the emerging NII. On July 10, ALA filed a letter with the FCC supporting Apple's Petition for Rulemaking. Reply comments are due July 25. No action is expected for at least several months. Interested parties can view a copy of the Apple filing through the World Wide Web at http://www.warpspeed.com. ***************************************************************** BUNDLING OF MICROSOFT NETWORK WITH WINDOWS-95 SPURS DOJ INVESTIGATION For the past several months, the Department of Justic (DOJ), has been investigating whether to file an antitrust complaint against Microsoft related to its budnling of Microsoft Network (MSN) with Windows-95 which is sscheduled to be released on August 24. According to a recent filing by the DOJ, such bundling, under certain circumstances, could violate antitrust laws. Several public interest groups have expressed their concern as well both over the bundling issue and over certain features of Windows-95 which, it is alledged, captures certain information about users' PCs for use by Microsoft. ALA has filed a letter with the DOJ and Microsoft supporting the investigation so as to protect the interests of a diverse, fair, and competitive information marketplace and the privacy of interests of consumers. ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. Internet: alawash@alawash.org; Phone: 202-547-4440; Fax: 202-547-7363. Contributing to this issue: Carol C. Henderson and J. Andrew Magpantay; Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org). ALAWON is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe ala-wo [your name]" to listserv@uicvm (Bitnet) or listserv@uicvm.uic.edu (Internet). Back issues and other documents are available from the list server. To find out what's available, send the message "send ala-wo filelist" to the listserv. The ALA-WO filelist contains the list of files with the exact filename and filetype. To get a particular file, issue the command "send filename filetype" to the listserv. Do not include the quotes in your commands. All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. For other reprinting or redistribution, address requests to the ALA Washington Office (alawash@alawash.org). ***************************************************************** ***End of file*************End of file*************End of file***