<div dir="ltr"><div>Greetings,</div><div><br></div><div>I just wanted to remind folks about the webinar tomorrow on the <a href="https://www.shlb.org/events/the-future-of-e-rate-inside-the-fccs-proposal-and-how-to-make-your-voice-heard">Future of E-Rate</a> and the impact of proposed changes on all recipients. Panelists will include a speaker from ALA to share what the current FCC proposals mean to libraries.</div><div><br></div><div>The registration *is* free to all; there is a suggested donation to the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition listed on the registration page, but that can be changed or removed.</div><div><br></div><div>All Ohio libraries receive the benefit of E-Rate through OPLIN filings, so even if your library does not file for E-Rate for branches or internal connections, these proposed changes would still be relevant.</div><div><br></div><div>Best wishes,</div><div><br></div><div>Christine</div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>--</div><div>Christine Morris (she/her)<br></div><div>Digital Resources Manager<br></div><div>Ohio Public Library Information Network</div><div><a href="mailto:christine@oplin.ohio.gov" target="_blank">christine@oplin.ohio.gov</a></div><div>614-728-5252 (OPLIN Support)</div><div>614-728-0227 (direct)<br></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun 16, 2026 at 8:23 AM Don Yarman via OPLINupdates <<a href="mailto:oplinupdates@lists.oplin.org" target="_blank">oplinupdates@lists.oplin.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>We encourage libraries to save the date July 16 and <a href="https://www.shlb.org/events/the-future-of-e-rate-inside-the-fccs-proposal-and-how-to-make-your-voice-heard/register" target="_blank">register for SHLB's webinar</a> about <b>new threats to the E-Rate program</b>. See details below.<div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><br> Don Yarman (he/him/his)<br> Director, Ohio Public Library Information Network<br> 2323 W Fifth Ave Suite 130, Columbus OH 43204<br> <a href="mailto:don@oplin.ohio.gov" target="_blank">don@oplin.ohio.gov</a> | 614.728.5250</div></div></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Joey Wender</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:jwender@shlb.org" target="_blank">jwender@shlb.org</a>></span><br>Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2026 at 4:20 PM<br>Subject: The FCC is asking whether to end E-Rate. Join us as we respond.<br><br></div><br><div><u></u>
<div>
<span style="display:none;font-size:0px;line-height:0px;max-height:0px;max-width:0px;opacity:0;overflow:hidden">Free webinar July 16 + AnchorNets this October</span>
<div style="display:none;max-height:0px;overflow:hidden">͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ </div><div style="display:none"><img src="https://us.list-manage.com/5o3aavK_6neKJ0vvFftbvS?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" height="1" width="1" style="display: none;" alt=""></div>
<center>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="100%" width="100%" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838bodyTable" role="presentation" style="background-color:rgb(244,244,244)">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="center" valign="top">
<table id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838root" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" valign="top" align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width:660px" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838mceColumnId--4" colspan="12" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);padding:3px 24px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" align="center" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b20"><div></div><a href="https://us.list-manage.com/B7Eia0MFPFO?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" style="display:block" target="_blank"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="23%" style="border-collapse:separate;margin:0px;vertical-align:top;max-width:23%;width:23%;height:auto" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="border:0px;border-radius:0px;margin:0px" valign="top"><img alt="" src="https://sawa-dev-2-storage-bucket.storage.googleapis.com/profiles/b832629c-bc65-4256-9f71-e54bb3a49523.png" width="140.76000000000002" height="auto" style="display: block; max-width: 100%; height: auto; border-radius: 0px;"></td></tr></tbody></table></a><div></div><div>
</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" valign="top" align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width:660px" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838mceColumnId--5" colspan="12" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(246,254,255);padding:6px 24px 3px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b29"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="background-color:rgb(246,254,255);width:100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="min-width:100%;border-top:1px solid rgb(1,29,87);line-height:0;font-size:0px" valign="top"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838gutterContainerId-28"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:separate" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b28"><table width="100%" style="border:0px;background-color:transparent;border-radius:0px;border-collapse:separate"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:8px 24px 0px"><div id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838d28" style="width:100%"><p style="text-align:left"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Hi Don,</span></p><p style="text-align:left"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released <a href="https://us.list-manage.com/1BZWXitycw3?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" target="_blank">a draft proposal</a> asking whether the E-Rate program should be "limited or sunset." This attack poses an existential threat to E-Rate and we're not going to stand by while a program that connects more than 100,000 schools and 11,000 libraries gets quietly unwound. We need you to be a part of how we respond.</p><p style="text-align:left"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">The first step is our <a href="https://us.list-manage.com/fZX36oiBM68?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" target="_blank"><strong>free webinar on July 16</strong></a>. It's the clearest path to making your voice count in this proceeding, and we hope you'll register and join us. You’ll learn:</p><ul><li><p style="text-align:left">What the proposal actually says</p></li><li><p style="text-align:left">What's at stake</p></li><li><p style="text-align:left">How and when to file a comment with the FCC</p></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:transparent;padding:12px 24px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" align="center" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b49"><div></div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(14,77,110);border-radius:8px;text-align:center" valign="top"><a href="https://us.list-manage.com/bwMzr4Qoesf?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" style="background-color:rgb(14,77,110);border-radius:8px;border:2px solid rgb(14,77,110);color:rgb(255,255,255);display:block;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;padding:16px 28px;text-decoration:none;text-align:center;direction:ltr;letter-spacing:0px" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Register for Future of E-Rate Webinar</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation"><tbody><tr>
</tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838gutterContainerId-50"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:separate" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b50"><table width="100%" style="border:0px;background-color:transparent;border-radius:0px;border-collapse:separate"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:12px 24px"><div id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838d50" style="width:100%"><p style="line-height:0"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">From there, we hope to see you at <a href="https://us.list-manage.com/72l0xibTYzJ?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" target="_blank"><strong>AnchorNets 2026</strong></a>, taking place from October 7-9 in Arlington, VA. You'll be in the room with the experts tracking every development on E-Rate and with peers navigating the same uncertainty you are. The connections and lessons from those conversations are hard to find anywhere else.</p><p style="text-align:left"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">The FCC points to E-Rate's success, noting that nearly every school now has high-speed internet, and suggests the job is done. The reality is the opposite. That connectivity exists because E-Rate sustains it year after year. Bandwidth needs grow, equipment ages, and in many buildings broadband now runs everything from online testing to door locks and HVAC. A network is a continuing commitment.</p><p style="text-align:left"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">The deepest harm would fall on the communities that can least afford it, since E-Rate's largest discounts go to schools and libraries in lower-income areas. Pull that funding, and the digital divide only grows. The proposal also asks whether E-Rate support should be limited to rural areas, which would draw a line between a disadvantaged child in a rural town and a disadvantaged child in a city. Congress never wrote that distinction into the law, and there's no reason to invent it now.</p><p style="text-align:left"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">The good news is that this is a proposal, not a decision. The FCC has to take public comments, and every one of our voices carries weight.</p><p style="text-align:left"><br></p><p style="text-align:left">I encourage you to read SHLB’s full argument in our <a href="https://shlb.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b8f06a885587335ee5c6b1717&id=d84379a328&e=37b53ba065" target="_blank">op-ed for the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society</a>.<br><br>Together, we will make our voices heard, and together we will protect E-Rate for the schools and libraries that depend on it.<br><br>Joey Wender</p><p style="text-align:left">Executive Director, SHLB Coalition</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:transparent;padding:12px 24px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" align="center" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b48"><div></div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation"><tbody><tr>
</tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(246,254,255);padding:0px 24px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b45"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="background-color:rgb(246,254,255);width:100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="min-width:100%;border-top:1px solid rgb(1,29,87);line-height:0;font-size:0px" valign="top"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" valign="top" align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width:660px" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838mceColumnId--6" colspan="12" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838gutterContainerId-1"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:separate" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b1"><table width="100%" style="border:0px;background-color:transparent;border-radius:0px;border-collapse:separate"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:3px"><div id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838d1" style="width:100%"><p><a href="https://mailchi.mp/shlb/anchornets2025thankyounonmembers-15398656?e=37b53ba065" target="_blank">View this email in your browser</a></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(246,254,255);padding:8px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b15"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838section_f94fb9d1dc235e0f347d1fab304b2327"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(246,254,255);background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="12" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838mceColumnId--3" colspan="12" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(29,90,199);padding:12px 48px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" align="center" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b12"><div></div><a href="https://us.list-manage.com/12iT1XABOxM?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8" style="display:block" target="_blank"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:separate;margin:0px;vertical-align:top;max-width:127px;width:100%;height:auto" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="border:0px;border-radius:0px;margin:0px" valign="top"><img alt="Logo" src="https://sawa-dev-2-storage-bucket.storage.googleapis.com/profiles/ckywy94ttwcbnlwq-77732.png" width="127" height="auto" style="display: block; max-width: 100%; height: auto; border-radius: 0px;"></td></tr></tbody></table></a><div></div><div>
</div></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0px" valign="top" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838gutterContainerId-13"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:separate" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0px;border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" align="center" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b13"><table width="100%" style="border:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);border-radius:0px;border-collapse:separate"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:12px 16px"><div id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838d13" style="display:inline-block;width:100%"><p><em><span style="font-size:12px">Copyright (C) 2026 SHLB Coalition. All rights reserved.</span></em><br><br><span style="font-size:12px">Our mailing address is:</span><br><span style="font-size:12px">
SHLB Coalition
1250 Connecticut Ave NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
USA</span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="border:0px;border-radius:0px" valign="top" align="center" id="m_8551746124668500345m_-6180018947910443887m_4913856032017891838b-2"><br></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</center>
</div></div></div></div>
_______________________________________________<br>
OPLINupdates mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:OPLINupdates@lists.oplin.org" target="_blank">OPLINupdates@lists.oplin.org</a><br>
<a href="https://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinupdates" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinupdates</a><br>
<br>
****** Are ALL of your library's staff signed up for OPLINUPDATES? They should be! Have them sign up here: <a href="https://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinupdates******" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinupdates******</a><br>
</blockquote></div>