National Library Legislative Days! May 11-12, 2009

National Library Legislative Days provide a unified opportunity for people from across the country to share with our U.S. Representatives and Senators the value of federal funds that benefit libraries. You can participate in person or virtually!

If you would like to participate virtually, contact your federal legislators by email, fax or phone. You can find your congressional representatives here: http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/


Check out the ALA Key Issues Checklist for topics of interest to you and your library!

Key Issues Checklist
National Library Legislative Day 2009

APPROPRIATIONS - FY 2010

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations
□ Fund the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) at $300 million.
□ Fund the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program at $100 million.
□ Sign the “Dear Colleague” letter being circulated in the Senate by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI)
and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program.

Legislative Branch Appropriations
□ Fund the Government Printing Office at their request of $166.307 million.

LIBRARY PROGRAMS & REAUTHORIZATIONS
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)
□ LSTA is up reauthorization this year, and this important piece of legislation should be reauthorized in a timely manner.

COPYRIGHT
The Fair Copyright in Research Works Act
□ The ALA strongly opposes H.R. 801 as it seeks to amend copyright law and reverse the National Institute of Health (NIH) Public Access Policy that provides access to taxpayer-funded NIH research on the Internet after a twelve-month embargo period.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND E-RATE ISSUES
E-rate Discounts
□ Congress should pass S. 348 and H.R. 2135 to provide a permanent exemption from the ADA for all Universal Service Fund programs by amending Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 so that USF funds “are not subject to certain provisions of… the Anti-Deficiency Act.”
□ Congress should urge the FCC to accept ALA’s proposal for simplification of the E-rate
application and disbursement processes. Maintain the E-rate and stabilize the USF program. E-rate discounts have provided public libraries with discounts totaling over $608,728,344 over the first 12 years of the program.

OPEN GOVERNMENT
Access to federally funded research reports
□ Congress should support S. Res. 118. Articles resulting from federally funded research should
be made available through a centralized electronic system, for purposes of access and retrieval by the public.

CONSUMER SAFETY
Consumer Product Safety Improvement
□ Congress should clarify CPSIA, specifying what was and was not intended to be included. While
we fully support protecting our children, the law as it stands has left many questions. Congress
should also urge the CPSC to respond to the ALA’s comments and give us needed guidance in
enough time to come into compliance with the law. Congress also should consider supporting
H.R.1692 to exempt ordinary books from CPSIA.

PRIVACY AND SURVEILLANCE
Reauthorization of Section 215
□ Congress should conduct a systematic analysis of the USA PATRIOT Act, the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and related surveillance laws and make appropriate reforms to better balance civil liberties and national security. Three sections of the PATRIOT Act, including Section 215, the “business/library records provision,” due to be reauthorized by the end of this year, should be modified to protect readers’ privacy and prevent needless warrantless surveillance. Don’t forget to invite your Senators and Representatives to visit your library!

Thank you for taking the time to put together a message for your federal officials. Together we can ensure that libraries receive the funding needed to sustain and improve their valuable services to Florida's residents.