ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 9, Number 34 April 14, 2000 In this issue: [1] IRS Gives Thanks [2] E-rate Funded for Third Year [1] IRS Gives Thanks The IRS today gave thanks to libraries across the nation for volunteering to offer the Federal Tax Forms Distribution Program. An IRS representative said "National Library Week is a time to celebrate the enormous contributions of libraries and librarians and all they do for their communities." For nearly 20 years, state and local libraries have been key distribution points for federal and, often, state tax forms. By offering tax materials, libraries provide exceptional public service for their patrons and aid the IRS in ensuring access to forms and instructions. Please see this week's issue of the IRS' Web site, The Digital Daily, at http://www.irs.gov/hot/index.html. [2] E-rate Funded for Third Year The American Library Association (ALA) joins, libraries, schools and communities across the country in congratulating the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for announcing a funding level of $2.25 billion for Year Three of the E-rate. The announcement was made by FCC Chairman William Kennard. "Libraries have always used the latest technology to make information accessible to their communities," said ALA President Sarah Ann Long. "The E-rate is helping even the smallest library to continue this service into the 21st century." "We are wired!," says Shirley Spears, director of the B. B. Comer Memorial Library in Sylacauga, Ala., winner of the first National Award for Library Service, which honors libraries for outstanding service to their community and is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Jeannie Dilger-Hill, outreach services manager for the Monroe County (Ind.) Public Library, gives kudos to the E-rate for making it possible to provide Internet access to rural and low-income areas through a laptop in the library's bookmobile. "Where we once only offered 30 feet of books and materials, we now have the world at our fingertips." John Carlo Bertot, co-author of the 1998 National Survey of Public Library Outlet Connectivity: Final Report, estimates that 92.9% off all public libraries now have at least basic access to the Internet, an increase of 9.3 percent over 1998, thanks largely to the E-rate. The study was sponsored by the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy in cooperation with the U.S. National Commission on Library and Information Science. Bertot's analysis shows that those still in greatest need of Internet access are the libraries in high-poverty, rural areas -- those given priority in today's E-rate announcement. The E-rate is a need-based discount for telecommunications and Internet services provided to public libraries and public and private schools by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The discounts are funded through collections from telecommunications companies. ****** 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. ALA Washington Office, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 403, Washington, D.C. 20004-1701; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478 toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; e-mail: alawash@alawash.org; Web site: http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Mary Costabile, Peter Kaplan, Miriam Nisbet and Claudette Tennant. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Jennifer Hendrix, Carrie Russell and Saundra Shirley.