Urgent Message for Library Advocates

ALA has reports from Congressional offices that they hear from
teachers, police and firefighters every day and almost nothing from the
library community. Libraries are as essential as schools and public
safety and help the economy by helping people find jobs. Yet library
jobs are being cut - and, now, not included in this jobs bill. It is
vitally important that librarians be as vocal as these other public
employees. The reason they are getting funding in this piece of
legislation is because they are calling their congressional offices
more often and in higher numbers than we are.

Your grassroots efforts are critically important. The omission of
librarians in the jobs bill is in addition to the troubling news this
week that President Obama's budget proposal freezes the Library
Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and consolidates the school library
program with literacy programs in the Department of Education. These
cuts will lead to a loss of jobs and a loss of services that our
communities cannot afford to be without.

Please call both of your U.S. Senators to ask each of them to request
that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Richard Durbin
(D-IL), and Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), include the hiring and
retaining of librarians in the $18 billion as well. Call the U.S.
Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121. For email addresses and
other contact information go to:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

This bill could come up at any moment and it is critically important
that you contact your Senators' offices immediately and tell them to
push the above Senate leaders to include librarians in the jobs bill.
Don't just call once - keep calling until we succeed. Make sure to
tell your senators what your library is doing to help people find
jobs.

We cannot let this legislation pass without the inclusion of library
employees. We have no chance of getting into this legislation without
your calls and emails - and the support of all senators!!

Call the U.S. Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121. For email
addresses and other contact information go to:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Please act now!

Be Prepared for FLA Legislative Days

The Florida library community will gather at the Capital in Tallahassee on February 16 for Library Day. The event provides the opportunity for advocates to meet with legislators and tell them about Floridians’ and their communities’ needs for library service and about library issues.

This year FLA is providing two Library Day Orientation Webinars to help advocates get up to speed about what is going on in Tallahassee and the library advocacy message. Information about Library Day plans and logistics will also be provided to ensure that participants have a positive, productive, and fun day. Choose the session that is most convenient - Tuesday, February 9, from 10 to 10:45 or Thursday, February 11 from 2 to 2:45.

Even though the regular legislative session does not begin until March 2, the legislature is already busy with committee meetings and the decision making process about library funding is underway. Participating in an Orientation Webinar will help prepare you advocate effectively for Florida libraries.

To register to attend Library Day on February 16, go to http://www.flalib.org/advocacy.php
where you’ll find additional information about Library Day and the Honor Roll to support library advocacy.

If you register for either of these sessions, we will contact you with log-in information 24 to 48 hours prior to the workshop.

If you register for either of these sessions, we will contact you with log-in information 24 to 48 hours prior to the workshop.

Go to http://www.tblc.org/ws_info.php?ws=1058 to register for workshops


Thanks!

FLA's revised Intellectual Freedom Manual

The Florida Library Association has revised their Intellectual Freedom Manual and it is available online at this link:
http://www.flalib.org/int_Freedom_Manual.php