[OPLINLIST] Federal funding Update: Contact Your Senators

[Kent Oliver]

FYI, Kent
It appears our Senators have not signed on to this. =20

ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume
14, Number 51 May 9, 2005

In This Issue: CONTACT YOUR SENATORS IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR AMERICA'S LIBRARIES: Final Deadline for signatures
is this Wednesday, May 11th!  There are only 29 Senators on the letter -
4 less than last year.

ACTION NEEDED: Contact your SENATORS and ask them to please sign the
Senator Jack Reed-Senator Susan Collins letter that supports funding for
federal library programs.  PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT SEN. REED OR SEN.
COLLINS DIRECTLY.  Instead, ask your Senator's staff member to contact
Sen. Reed's or Sen. Collins' staff to add their signature. =20

In the U.S. Senate, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Senator Susan M.
Collins (R-ME) are circulating a letter addressed to the Senate Labor,
Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittee in
support of President Bush's request of $221.33 million for the Library
Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the Improving
Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2006.

The LSTA and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program
provide critical funding for libraries of all kinds nationwide.  Only by
including $221.33 million for the LSTA and $100 million for the
Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program in the Labor, Health
and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill will we ensure
that library patrons of all ages have sufficient access to library and
information services, support recruiting and educating the next
generation of librarians, and provide libraries the resources they need
to improve literacy skills and academic achievement.

ALA strongly encourages its membership to immediately contact their
Senators and urge them to sign on to the letter in support of federal
library programs. Last year, we had 33 Senators sign up in support of
America's libraries.=20

Funding is extremely tight this year and competition is very strong
among the many groups seeking federal funding for the upcoming year.  If
the number of signatures does not significantly increase, this letter
will not be taken seriously.  If your Senator is not on this letters, it
is critical that you contact them immediately.  Time is of the essence.
If you can't call, please write using the Legislative Action Center link
below. Also, please feel free to forward this message to your listservs.

So far, we only have the following 29 Senators on the letter:  Akaka,
Bayh, Bingaman, Boxer, Cantwell, Chafee, Clinton, Collins, Corzine,
Dayton, Dodd, Durbin, Feingold, Graham, Jeffords, Johnson, Kennedy,
Kohl, Lautenberg, Leahy, Lincoln, Mikulski, Murray, Reed, Rockefeller,
Sarbanes, Schumer, Stabenow, Wyden.

Visit ALA's website for more information on these letters at:
<http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/washfunding/funding.htm>=20


Use ALA's Washington Office Legislative Action Center at
<http://capwiz.com/ala/home> to identify and fax your Members of
Congress in both the House and the Senate. =20

You can also call your Member of Congress directly using the U.S.
Capitol switchboard at:  (202) 225-3121


******
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.



Kent Oliver, Library Director
Stark County District Library
715 Market Ave., N., Canton, OH 44702
W: 330 458 2710 FAX: 330 455 9596
KOliver@starklibrary.org
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."  Benjamin Franklin