From the Director's Desk

May 16, 2008
Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director, Rolling Prairie Library System
Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director

Telling the Library Story - Part 9

I am just back from telling the library story in Washington D.C.  May 13 & 14 were ALA National Library Legislative Days in D.C. for 2008.  Tuesday was the briefing day where we learned about the Key Issues for libraries currently before Congress.  Those issues were:

  • Appropriations FY 2009

    • LSTA, and Improving Literacy through School Libraries

    • National Library Services for the Blind to transition from tape to digital technology

    • Restore cuts to the National Agriculture Library

  • Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind.  Ensure a state-certified school library media specialist in every school in the SKILLs Act

  • Copyright, Orphan works legislation

  • Telecommunications and E-Rate

    • Pas S 609 & HR 278 to provide permanent exemption from the Anti-Deficiency Act

    • Urge FCC to simplify the E-rate application and disbursement process

    • Support Internet Safety Education rather than mandating blocking

    • Broadband mapping and reporting: Legislation is needed for planning and development of advanced telecommunications services

    • Network Neutrality to ensure that network operators keep the internet open and available to all consumers and content providers.

  • Privacy and Surveillance

    • National Security Letter  (NSL) reform assure that NSLs cannot be misused to needlessly surveil Americans

    • FISA Reform: Pass H.R. 3773 which has a reasonable sunset period

    • Repeal REAL ID

When talking about funding for LSTA, I shared information about the Plinkit grant.  As you who have had LSTA grants know, when you receive a grant you are required to send a letter to the Representatives and Senators in Congress thanking them for their support of LSTA and telling them how the grant impacted your library.  Since I was heading to Washington D.C., I included my letter on Plinkit in the packet of information I gave them. 

If you have not written your letters I urge you to do so soon.  And mail them to their district offices here in Illinois.  Mailing letters to D.C. is not very practical because they all are checked for dangerous substances, are delayed for months, and arrive  in a barely readable condition.

I learned about a very interesting tool that you all will want to know about.  There was a guest speaker at the briefing day from the League of Women Voters, Executive Director Nancy Tate.  The League has developed a website that contains voter information, rules for eligibility, how to register, ID requirements and more.  But the really cool tool on the site is the one where you type in your home address and it tells you where (the physical address) you go to vote.  The web address is http://vote411.org 

 

Rolling Prairie Library System
A Library for Librarians
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