================================================================= ALAWON Volume 6, Number 39 ISSN 1069-7799 May 20, 1997 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (103 lines) ALA AND IRS DISCUSS IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC LIBRARY TAX FORM DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM _________________________________________________________________ ALA AND IRS DISCUSS IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC LIBRARY TAX FORM DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM Distributing Internal Revenue Service federal tax forms is an important public service for libraries to perform, especially in locations where there are no other readily available sources. Such governmental services performed by libraries are a powerful argument for funding from federal sources above the local level. In tax year 1995, 9.2 percent of tax returns came from forms distributed through post offices, and 5.9 percent from forms distributed through libraries. Libraries, however, produced a much higher return rate than post offices. ALA Washington Office, in response to queries and comments from electronic discussion groups, sought advice from the ALA Committee on Legislation. COL advised that ALA and ALA's Public Library Association lobby the IRS. Librarians and IRS representatives met at the ALA Washington Office on May 6. Three COL public librarian members, two PLA representatives, and four ALA staff from Chicago and Washington, D.C. joined nine officials from the IRS Banks, Post Office and Library Program. The IRS officials recognized the problems with the tax form distribution program and were eager to work with the ALA committee resolve the issues and thus better serve the public through libraries. The IRS acknowledged that a number of recent management decisions have resulted in the increased the demand on libraries. The tax form distribution budget was cut from $12 million to $7 million. They no longer send forms to banks, citing a less than 1 percent return rate. More than 26 million Telefile (electronic) packages lacked tax tables, forms and instructions. Finally, more than 46 million taxpayers are no longer sent postcards informing them that tax forms could be obtained through their tax preparer. Five major tasks were jointly agreed upon during the ALA/IRS meeting: 1. ALA and IRS will develop a joint communication plan. Peggy Barber, ALA associate executive director for communications, will take the lead on the plan. The committee also discussed possible opportunities for the IRS to publicize and thank libraries. 2. ALA and IRS will work on research and data collection plans to document library involvement, contributions, and needs. The results should help the IRS BPOL Program systematically document its needs and should help libraries document the level of service they are providing. 3. ALA will assist IRS with regular library feedback through identification of an advisory committee. At PLA conferences, for example, the advisory committee might host a "table talk" of interested PLA members and IRS officials. 4. IRS will provide a description of the IRS view of the libraries' role in the BPOL Program. 5. IRS will provide feedback to public libraries on the initiative to involve more post offices in the forms distribution of the BPOL Program. The IRS wants regular communication from public librarians in the field to improve the program. PLA had such a committee in the past and is investigating setting up a new one. Greta Southard, PLA executive director, has volunteered to be a point of contact for librarians interested in participating in this process, providing suggestions to IRS or ALA, or attending meetings on this issue. Southard's e-mail address is gsouthard@ala.org. _________________________________________________________________ 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 Claudette Tennant All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================