ALA Urges Library Advocates To Lobby Now on Stimulus Bill

-- Library Journal, 02/09/2009

A message from Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association's Washington Office:

"The Senate is expected to hold a vote at 5:30 tonight to limit debate, or invoke cloture, on the Nelson-Collins amendment containing the compromise version of the stimulus package. A final vote on the amendment is expected tomorrow. The compromise cuts $108 billion from the original Senate proposal. Cuts include $16 billion to renovate, repair and build public schools, including school libraries. The compromise also cuts $3.5 billion for higher education facility modernization which includes academic libraries."

There is an alternative.

"The House passed bill includes funding for both of these purposes. In the compromise, funding to increase broadband access in rural areas and other underserved parts of the country is reduced by $2 billion, from $9 billion to $7 billion. $3.175 billion in the House passed bill. The largest cut in the Senate proposal comes out of a $79 billion state fiscal stabilization fund. The compromise cuts funding to $39 billion and the Governor does not have the ability to use 39% of the funds at his or her discretion. We need the House version."