National Library Legislative Days

Next Tuesday, April 24, a delegation of Kentucky Librarians and Trustees are going to Washington to meet with Kentucky Senators and Representatives or their staff. This year we are again crafting our message to let them know how important all libraries are for Kentuckians. We will ask them to:

Protect Library Funding

· We will be talking with them about the importance of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds and how they contribute to the betterment of all Kentuckians. This funding helps pay for the KY Virtual Library service. We will ask for level funding at $184.7 million for FY 2013.

· We will thank Congress for its continued support of the E-rate program that provides funding for telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal connections for public libraries and K-12 public and private schools. We will ask for reduced bureaucratic control of the federal e-rate funds making it easier for libraries to participate.

· Federal Funding for Other Library Programs: Ask for full funding for the Library of Congress, Government Printing Office and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Support School Libraries

We will be highlighting the impact of school libraries on the educational priorities of our children. We will ask that when Congress reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that it includes school libraries by incorporating the following provisions:

· Maintain dedicated federal funding for school libraries;

· Include provisions under Title I state and local plans and the Race to the Top Fund to establish a state goal of having a school library staffed by a state-licensed school librarian in each public school;

· Allow state and local professional development funds to be used for recruiting and training school librarians.

As in past years we are asking for your help. Before next Tuesday, please contact Kentucky’s two Senators and your Representative. You can do this by phone, email or snail mail. Also please ask others that are interested in Libraries and their vital work to take part. The following URL will take you to ALA’s capwiz sight for email access to Congress. http://capwiz.com/ala/dbq/officials/?affiliate_lookup=1

Thank you for your support of Kentucky Libraries.

KENTUCKY DELEGATION TO ALA LEGISLATIVE DAY

Terry Buckner - KLA President

Wayne Onkst - State Librarian and Commissioner

Debbe Oberhausen - KLA Library Awareness Chair

Sara Brown - KLA Academic Section Chair

Martha White - KLA - Kentucky Public Library Association (KPLA) Chair

Tara Griffith - KLA - Kentucky School Media Association (KSMA) Chair

Melissa Brooks - KLA - Special Library Section Chair-Elect

Susan Nimersheim KLA –KPLA Chair-Elect

J.C. Morgan KLA - KPLA Advocacy Committee Chair

Lisa Rice - KLA - KPLA Representative

Dave Schroeder - KLA - KPLA Representative

Emmalee Hoover - KLA - KSMA Representative

Jim Stoops KLA - Kentucky Library Trustees Round Table (KLTRT) Representative

Louis A. Buzz Carmichael - Chair, State Advisory Council on Libraries