ALA's Sheketoff: New Congress Should Be Good for Libraries

-- Library Journal, 11/9/2006

The new Congress elected Tuesday—with a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and a possible majority in the Senate—should bode well for libraries, according to Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association's (ALA) Washington Office. "I think it's going to be a very exciting time in Washington," she told LJ. "The voters sent the message that they weren't happy with the way the government is running. So I hope that that means there will be real cooperation between both houses of Congress and the president in the future, and that's good for libraries." She noted that simple gridlock has slowed the approval of library appropriations bills that both parties have agreed on.

The Bush administration has actually proposed more funds for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) than Congress has appropriated, she pointed out, so there is a record of support. On other issues, however, the shift in Washington may help libraries. Sheketoff cited the importance of "paying attention to unintended consequences of poorly written legislation," such as the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), which aims to block social networking sites but could block many other interactive web applications. DOPA passed the House of Representatives over the summer but has been stalled in the Senate. As for issues like "net neutrality" or copyright, she said, "the Democrats are coming into office with a commitment to serve the middle class and to make sure that… money is more equitably distributed, so that's good for libraries."

Regarding the ongoing and planned closure of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) libraries, she pointed out that a Democratic House can call hearings and use subpoena power. "I do think it would be very helpful to compel EPA to publicly explain what they're doing with the studies and information they've been entrusted with," Sheketoff said, noting that the closings have begun even before the agency's decreased appropriation has been approved by Congress.