================================================================= ALAWON Volume 6, Number 4 ISSN 1069-7799 January 17, 1997 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (160 lines) 1997 TIIAP PROGRAM TO BE ANNOUNCED REAUTHORIZATION OF HEA - COMMENTS REQUESTED RESEARCH IN EARLY READING INSTRUCTION - COMMENTS REQUESTED NEH CHALLENGE GRANTS SPECIAL INITIATIVE: HUMANITIES ENDOWMENTS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES _________________________________________________________________ If two of your New Year's resolutions were to participate more in the legislative process and to apply for grant funds, this issue has information on current opportunities for both. ______________________________________________________________ 1997 TIIAP PROGRAM TO BE ANNOUNCED The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) expects to announce the 1997 Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP) grant competition in the Federal Register in late January or early February. TIIAP is a highly competitive, merit-based grant program that provides assistance to public and nonprofit sector organizations with creative approaches to applying information and telecommunications technologies to solve community problems and meet community needs. TIIAP provides funding to schools, health care providers, libraries, universities, public safety and other nonprofit organizations, as well as state, tribal and local governments, to help bring the benefits of the Information Age to all Americans. The projects are locally sponsored and controlled, with matching support coming from the community. NTIA received a $21.49 million appropriation for the 1997 TIIAP program. Additional information on the program, including the 1997 announcement (once it is released) can be found on NTIA's World Wide Web site on the at http://www.ntia.doc.gov or by contacting TIIAP at 202/482-2048. For the FY96 TIIAP Grant Award Project Descriptions by state, visit http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/tiiap/frames.htm. ________________________________________________________________ REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT (HEA)- COMMENTS REQUESTED HEA reauthorization is a critical legislative initiative for higher education advocates and academic librarians. Congress is expected to begin discussion almost immediately. As it is complex it will time to move forward, some predict HEA reauthorization likely will not be completed until 1998. Based on debate in the 104th Congress, two key issues for debate will be the costs of higher education and the future of various student aid programs. The U.S. Department of Education has requested public comments to obtain more citizen involvement in the development of policies relating to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. However, as published in the Federal Register (November 19, 1996, 58937-40), the Department's initial questions for public comment deal almost exclusively with student aid programs and related management issues. Librarians are encouraged to respond to Secretary of Education Richard Riley's invitation to submit comments, suggestions, or ideas regarding reauthorization proposals to: Adam Ochlis, 600 Independence Ave., SW, ROB-3, Room 4050, Washington, D.C. 20202 or to the following e-mail created specifically for reauthorization: reauth_l@ed.gov. Comments must be received on or before Friday, January 31, 1997. _________________________________________________________________ COMMENTS NEEDED ON PROPOSED PRIORITY FOR RESEARCH IN EARLY READING INSTRUCTION Secretary of Education Riley has proposed a priority under the Educational Research and Development Centers Program to support research on early reading. The priority is intended to produce research findings that will affect changes in early reading instruction and related practices. The proposed priority for research on improving children's early reading is for a research and development center to be supported jointed by the Student Achievement and the Early Childhood Institutes. The Secretary believes that improving reading achievement in this country and increasing the capacity of the nation's education system to provide all members of society with equal opportunities to attain a high level of literacy depend on knowledge generated by an enduring program of education research and development. Knowledge gained from education research and development can help guide the national investment in education and support local and State reform efforts. Because they carry out sustained, long-term research and development, Centers are a primary mechanism for pursuing new knowledge about education. Center awards are made to institutions of higher education, institutions of higher education in consort with public agencies or non-profit organizations, and interstate agencies established by compact that operate subsidiary bodies to conduct postsecondary education research and development. Interested persons are invited to submit comments and recommendations regarding this proposed priority. Comments concerning this proposed priority should be addressed to Anne P. Sweet, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Room 513A, Washington, DC 20208-5573. Comments can be faxed to Dr. Sweet at 202/219-2135 or e-mail: anne__sweet@ed.gov. For further information contact Anne P. Sweet, phone: 202/219-2079. A link to the full text of the December 13 Federal Register notice is located at http://http://gcs.ed.gov/fedreg/announce.htm. _________________________________________________________________ NEH CHALLENGE GRANTS SPECIAL INITIATIVE: HUMANITIES ENDOWMENTS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES The National Endowment for the Humanities has announced a Challenge Grants Special Initiative to assist public libraries in creating endowments that support humanities programming. Any public library that has not previously held an NEH Challenge Grant is eligible to apply. Special consideration will be given to applicants from libraries without humanities endowments and to libraries whose plans show promise of outreach to new and diverse audiences. Smaller libraries are especially encouraged to apply. Under this initiative, applicants may request up to a maximum of $150,000; federal funds must be matched by two times the amount in non-federal donations. The first application deadline is May 1, 1997. For more information, contact the Office of Challenge Grants at challenge@neh.fed.us or call 202/606-8309. Current guidelines are available at http://www.neh.fed.us/html/guidelin/challeng.html. For a print copy of these guidelines and forms, write to: National Endowment for the Humanities Public Information Office, Room 402, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20506 or e-mail your request to info@neh.fed.us. _________________________________________________________________ ALAWON is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. To subscribe, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc @ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. Visit our Web site at http://www.alawash.org. ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V) 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F) Washington, DC 20004-1701 800.941.8478 (V) Lynne E. Bradley, Editor Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor Contributors: Carol C. Henderson Mary R. Costabile Claudette W. Tennant All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================