library funding

Advocacy Alert from the ALA: Urge Congress to #FundLibraries

~ Becky Ross Michael ~ 22 Comments

This is a copy of an alert from the ALA that I received today through email. For those of you in the U.S., thanks for reading and acting!     ~Becky

As we announced last week, the White House has released its proposed FY2021 budget, and federal library funding has been completely eliminated. Libraries need your support, now more than ever. We need to make sure Congress knows how important this funding is.

Can you stand with libraries by emailing Congress to #FundLibraries?

As the campaign to fund our nation’s libraries continues, we can’t let Congress forget how much communities rely on their local libraries. Add your support now by letting your members of Congress know that you support library funding at the national level.

Please take two minutes to urge Congress to continue to #FundLibraries in FY2021?

These next few weeks will be integral to ensuring Congress continues to #FundLibraries. Keep your eyes open for more advocacy alerts from the ALA team as the budget process continues.

Thank you for standing with the library community,

ALA’s Public Policy & Advocacy Team

Contact Us
ALA Public Policy & Advocacy Office
1615 New Hampshire Ave NW, 1st Floor
Washington, D.C. 20009-2520
Phone: (202) 628-8410

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Love Your Library? Help Safeguard Funding for 2019!

~ Becky Ross Michael ~ 8 Comments

 

WHY?

According to the ALA (American Library Association),

“…despite the additional federal dollars for domestic programs in 2018, the 2019 budget proposed later in February 2018 by the White House again eliminates funding for libraries across the country through LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) and IAL (Innovative Approaches to Literacy), and the fight to reinstate and retain this primary source of federal support for libraries, as well as other programs affecting libraries, will continue into the next year.”

WHAT?

On May 7-8, nearly 500 library advocates are heading to Washington, D.C. to meet with their Senators and Representatives. You can help boost the signal! There are three “asks” for National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) this year:

  • House & Senate: Reauthorize the Museum and Library Services Act (S. 2271)
  • House & Senate: Fully Fund LSTA and IAL for FY 2019
  • House & Senate: Visit a library, see broadband access in action

You have plenty of ways to participate in NLLD from home! Check out the toolkit, with suggestions for spreading the word through social media and writing your elected officials an email inviting them to tour your library.

WHO?

Check the LSTA and IAL letter trackers to see if your Senators and Representatives signed this year! If not, please consider contacting them! You can find your elected officials here.

*****

I love my library and depend on it in so many ways beyond finding books and other media! It’s also an important social hub in the city square that offers programs like book clubs and writing critique groups, along with available space for tutoring. What do you appreciate most about your library?

 

 

Source:

“National Library Legislative Day”, American Library Association, March 27, 2018.http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/nlld (Accessed May 3, 2018)Document ID: 855aa32e-90b8-5164-3dcb-487bdac4a42d