Video Available of Webinar “What to Know Before You Go to the Library Advocacy Day Rally”

On Monday, the American Library Association’s Washington Office held a webinar entitled “What to Know Before You Go to the Library Advocacy Day Rally.”  If you did participate, hopefully you are more energized!  If you missed it, you can now view a video of the webinar online.  For a link to the video, see the District Dispatch posting.

During the webinar, some misinformation about Maryland’s plans was brought to light.  In Maryland, people are encouraged to participate in the rally and the visits with members of Congress.  If you are interested in visiting members of Congress, please contact Natalie Edington at nedington@aacpl.net.  Natalie is the State Coordinator for Maryland her job is to coordinate federal advocacy efforts of the Maryland library community.  As was stated in the webinar, it is important to present a coordinated effort, and not overwhelm and confuse legislators with numerous visits for the same cause. 

For more information on Library Advocacy Day, please view the posting on the Maryland Library Association’s Legislative Panel blog.

House version of Educator Jobs Bill includes school librarians

Thanks to everyone who contacted Congress about the Educator Jobs Bill.  The May 22^nd draft of the House Supplemental Appropriations Bill includes an Education Jobs Fund, which allocates $23 million to save the jobs of a number of school personnel that now specifically includes school librarians.   Please call your Congressman to encourage them to vote for this supplemental appropriation.  You may use the Capwiz Action Alert to get contact information for your representative in the House, or use just use Capwiz to send e-mail. See the District Dispatch posting for a little more detail.

Webinar for Library Advocacy Day Rally Volunteers

If you have registered to volunteer and help out with the Library Advocacy Day Rally in June, then this webinar on June 8th is for you!  See the District Dispatch posting for details on the webinar, including a link to register.

If you have not yet signed up to volunteer to assist with the Rally, it’s not too late!  Complete the Volunteer Registration form and someone from the American Library Association’s Washington Office should contact you.

Library Advocacy Day is Tuesday, June 29th and the Rally will be held at 11:00am in Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill.  For more information about Library Advocacy Day, check out the Maryland Library Association Legislative Panel’s blog posting.

Deadline for RUS grant programs extended again

According to broadbandusa.gov:

 “Due to the additional emergency maintenance which was conducted this past weekend, Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is again extending the Public Notice Filing period. The new deadline for existing service providers to file a response to any Public Notice Filing will be Tuesday, May 25th at 12:00pm (noon) CDT. “

RUS Grant Programs’ deadline extended; Webinar PPTs available

Deadline Extended – According to a memo from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS):

 “SUMMARY: Due to emergency maintenance issues on May 14, 2010, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is extending, by one day, the deadline for submitting Public Notice Requests (PNRs) on pending applications filed under Second Round Notice of Funds Availability (Second Round NOFA) for the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP), published in the Federal Register at 75 FR 3820 (January 22, 2010). Such technical issues also affected the application window for satellite, rural library broadband, and technical assistance projects under BIP’s Request for Proposals (RFP), published in the Federal Register at 75 FR 25185 (May 7, 2010). As a result, PNR’s on pending Second Round NOFA applications must be filed by May 24, 2010, at 11:59
p.m. Central Time (CT); and applications for satellite, rural library broadband, and technical assistance projects must be postmarked by June 8, 2010.”

Webinar Powerpoint presentations – The Powerpoint presentations for the webinars on the grant programs are now available at the following links:

• Satellite
• Rural Library Broadband
• Technical Assistance

ALA files comments on National Education Technology Plan

The American Library Association (ALA) filed comments on the National Education Technology Plan (NETP).  The comments focus on how school libraries are positioned to help carry through the plan and integrate technology into learning. 

For more information, including a link to the comments, see the District Dispatch posting.

Webinar: What to Know Before You Go to the Library Advocacy Day Rally!

The American Library Association’s Washington Office will be offering a webinar on Monday, May 24^th from 4-5pm to share more information about the Library Advocacy Day Rally and how you can help.  Registration information is available on the District Dispatch.

 If you have not yet registered for the Library Advocacy Day Rally on Tuesday, June 29^th at 11:00am, it’s not too late!  Registration is free and does not require that you register for the ALA Annual Conference.  To register for the Rally, go to the Library Advocacy Day website, scroll down and click the red and blue “Register Now” button.  If you have trouble registering, check out the registration guide.

 For more information about the rally, including details specific to Maryland libraries, see the Legislative Panel’s blog posting.

Library Advocacy Day Rally – Details on Logistics

The American Library Association’s Washington Office has posted a Rally memo with details on logistics for the Library Advocacy Day Rally on Tuesday, June 29^th at 11:00am.

For information on the Rally, including details specific to Maryland libraries, see the earlier blog posting.

Webinars scheduled for Satellite, Rural Library Broadband, and Technical Assistance Grant Programs

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has scheduled 3 webinars next week to discuss the requirements of each of three programs.  See the links below for fliers with more information.

• Satellite – http://broadbandusa.gov/files/Satellite_Flyer_May_19.pdf
• Rural Library Broadband – http://broadbandusa.gov/files/Rural_Library_Flyer_May_18.pdf
•  Technical Assistance – http://broadbandusa.gov/files/Technical_Assistance_Flyer_May_20.pdf

Library Director testifies in House Broadband hearing

Ms. Rivkah Sass, Director of the Sacramento Public Library System, testified today before a House Subcommittee on the National Broadband Plan, as previously announced.  For a link to the testimony, both written and video, see the District Dispatch posting.