ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 9, Number 28 April 4, 2000 In this issue: [1] THANK YOU DAY REMINDER [2] IMLS TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE LABOR HHS EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE [3] HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE WILL MARK UP SEVERAL PIECES OF ESEA LEGISLATION [1] THANK YOU DAY REMINDER Do not forget to invite your Members of Congress to your local library and thanking them for making resources available to your library on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 (during National Library Week, April 9-15, 2000). Please let us know of the event. For further information see the ALA Washington Office Web site at http://www.ala.org/washoff/thankyou.html. [2] IMLS TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE LABOR HHS EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE On April 4, Beverly Sheppard, Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, testified before the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the FY2001 budget for the agency. Sheppard called the Administration's FY2001 budget request of $173 million an "investment in the ability of libraries to respond to the profound changes at work in American society." She said the requested increase was an endorsement of the work of libraries across the country. Sheppard cited the dramatic advances in technology, the increasing diversity of populations and communities, and the growing demands for learning throughout a lifetime as some of the challenges for libraries. Sheppard told Representative Porter, Chair of the Subcommittee, that libraries are narrowing the gap between the haves and have nots. She said that libraries, while most have some kind of Internet connection, could use more work stations, more efficient systems, and more equitable distribution. Sheppard referred to the recent conference, "Web-Wise: A Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World," that shared institutional best practices and issues involved in digital library development. Representative Porter asked about the role of the federal government with respect to libraries. Was it similar to that of education and how effective was the federal leadership? Sheppard said libraries are core democratic institutions with alignment between library values and the country's values, and information was an essential component. She stressed that federal funds help to leverage funds from the state, local and private levels, and that IMLS has been performing the role of identifying core problems, addressing those problems and sharing best practices. The agency is also working on evaluation, teaching and training related to library services. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) asked about the digital divide and said not all libraries in her community had resources in the same way. She stated that the longer we wait the wider the digital divide will be. Lowry asked if the IMLS budget were doubled or tripled, could it be absorbed? Sheppard answered that an increase could be absorbed and cited three areas, hardware and software, technology and digitization. Lowey also asked whether IMLS grants were structured to encourage private sector involvement. Sheppard responded that the national leadership grants, not only encourage, but require matching funds, and thus have leveraged private funding sources. State grants also require local matching funds. [3] HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE WILL MARK UP SEVERAL PIECES OF ESEA LEGISLATION On April 5, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will mark up Titles III, Technology, Title VI, Innovative Education Program Strategies, Title IV, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities. Representative Major Owens (D-NY) intends to offer H.R. 3008, the school library resources legislation as an amendment to Title III, Technology. Rep. Owens will also offer his school construction legislation, H.R. 3071, which would include school library media center reconstruction or retrofitting for technology as an amendment. ACTION NEEDED: School library supporters should call their Representatives on the House Education and the Workforce Committee and encourage them to vote in favor of Representative Owens' amendments. The House Education and the Workforce Committee Members are as follows: House Education and the Workforce Committee ST-DST PTY Representative Phone Fax (202 Area Code) PA-19 R William F. Goodling, Chair 225-5836 226-1000 MO-1 D William L. Clay, Rnk 225-2406 225-1725 AZ-1 R Matthew Salmon 225-2635 225-3405 CA-6 D Lynn C. Woolsey 225-5161 225-5163 CA-7 D George Miller 225-2095 225-5609 CA-25 R Howard P. McKeon 225-1956 226-0683 CA-31 D Matthew G. Martinez 225-5464 225-5467 CA-46 D Loretta Sanchez 225-2965 225-5859 CO-4 R Bob Schaffer 225-4676 225-5870 DE-1 R Michael N. Castle 225-4165 225-2291 GA-9 R Nathan Deal 225-5211 225-8272 GA-10 R Charles W. Norwood 225-4101 225-0279 HI-2 D Patsy T. Mink 225-4906 225-4987 IN-2 R David M. McIntosh 225-3021 225-3382 IN-3 D Tim Roemer 225-3915 225-6798 IN-4 R Mark E. Souder 225-4436 225-3479 MA-6 D John F. Tierney 225-8020 225-5915 MI-2 R Pete Hoekstra 225-4401 226-0779 MI-3 R Vernon J. Ehlers 225-3831 225-5144 MI-6 R Frederick S. Upton 225-3761 225-4986 MI-9 D Dale E. Kildee 225-3611 225-6393 MO-2 R James M. Talent 225-2561 225-2563 NE-3 R Bill E. Barrett 225-6435 225-0207 NJ-1 D Robert E. Andrews 225-6501 225-6583 NJ-5 R Marge S. Roukema 225-4465 225-9048 NJ-10 D Donald M. Payne 225-3436 225-4160 NY-4 D Carolyn McCarthy 225-5516 225-5758 NY-11 D Major R. Owens 225-6231 226-0112 NC-10 R Cass Ballenger 225-2576 225-0316 OH-8 R John A. Boehner 225-6205 225-0704 OH-10 D Dennis J. Kucinich 225-5871 225-5745 PA-2 D Chaka Fattah 225-4001 225-5392 PA-8 R James C. Greenwood 225-4276 225-9511 SC-3 R Lindsey O. Graham 225-5301 225-3216 TN-4 R Van Hilleary 225-6831 225-3272 TN-9 D Harold E. Ford 225-3265 225-5663 TX-3 R Sam Johnson 225-4201 225-1485 TX-14 R Ron Paul 225-2831 226-4871 TX-15 D Ruben Hinojosa 225-2531 225-5688 VA-3 D Robert C. Scott 225-8351 225-8354 WI-3 D Ron Kind 225-5506 225-5739 WI-6 R Thomas E. Petri 225-2476 225-2356 PR-0 D Carlos A. Romero-Barcelo 225-2615 225-2154 CO-6 R Tom Tancredo 225-7882 226-4623 KY-6 R Ernie Fletcher 225-4706 225-2122 NJ-12 D Rush Holt 225-5801 225-6025 OR-1 D David Wu 225-0855 225-9497 SC-4 R Jim DeMint 225-6030 226-1177 GA-6 R Johnny Isakson 225-4501 225-4656 ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc@ala.org or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. To unsubscribe to ALAWON, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. 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