Advocacy Alert Update: House Appropriations approves IMLS increase!

Please see below for some good news from the American Library Association’s Public Policy and Advocacy Team in Washington DC!

Thank you to everyone who contacted our legislators to ask for support for the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS), Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Libraries (IAL). If you have not already done so, please take a moment and use Engage to thank the Senators and Representatives who signed on to the Dear Appropriator letters. Legislators who signed include:

• LSTA & IAL: Senators Cardin & Van Hollen and Representatives Brown, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes
  • Note: Please give a special thank you to Representative Ruppersberger, who serves on the Appropriations Committee.
• LSTA only: Representative Cummings

Thank you!

 

From The Public Policy & Advocacy Team on Wednesday, May 8, 2019:

We have exciting news to share on #FundLibraries. This evening, the House Appropriators Committee approved its FY2020 funding bills, which contained a $25 million increase for IMLS, including $17 million for LSTA! That’s exactly what we asked for in our Dear Appropriator letter. The $17 million increase is dedicated to the Grants to States program and would bring the minimum state allocation to $1 million recommended in the Museum and Library Services Act we worked so hard to pass last year. Moreover, the House markup includes a $2 million increase for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program, a Department of Education program which provides competitive grants to school libraries.

Today’s House mark would bring overall IMLS funding to $267 million, LSTA funding up to $206.3 million, and IAL to $29 million. Of course, this is just one step on the pathway to appropriations, but it’s a big step in the right direction. We know that the Senate will be a steeper climb. We’ve already begun targeted outreach to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and will continue to work closely with advocates in those key states.

In the meantime, please take a moment to send an email thanking your representative if they are on the Appropriations Committee or if they signed one of the Dear Appropriator letters.

Thank you!

The Public Policy and Advocacy Team

 

Advocacy Alert! Ask Senators to Fund Libraries, LSTA & IAL

4/16/2019 Update:

Senators Cardin and Van Hollen signed on to both the LSTA and IAL letters. Many thanks to everyone who contacted our Senators! Please feel free to reach out to thank them for their support.

3/30/2019 Update:

Many thanks to all of you who have already contacted our Senators to ask them to sign on to the Letters in support of LSTA and IAL!

Senator Cardin has still not signed on to either letter, despite the fact that he signed over the last two years. The deadline to sign on to both letters has been extended until Thursday, April 11. If you have not yet already done so, please contact Senator Cardin and ask for his signature. See below for details on who the Senator should contact to sign the Letters. Additional information appears in the emails further below.

• LSTA Letter: Contact Elyse Wasch with Sen. Jack Reed to sign the bipartisan Reed-Collins LSTA letter at Elyse_Wasch@reed.senate.gov or at 202-224-4642.
• IAL Letter: Contact Moira Lenehan-Razzuri to sign the Reed-Stabenow IAL letter at Moira_Lenehan@reed.senate.gov or at 202-224-4642.

Senator Van Hollen has signed on to the Letters for both LSTA and IAL. Please take a moment to thank him for his support.

According to the American Library Association’s Office for Library Advocacy, we are a few signatures short of last year’s totals in the Senate. Maryland library advocates can do our part to change this!

Thank you for your advocacy efforts!

 

Original post:

It’s time for the next step in advocacy for Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Libraries (IAL) program. Thanks to your advocacy efforts, Representatives Brown, Raskin, Ruppersberger and Sarbanes all signed the Dear Appropriator Letters for LSTA and IAL.

Our attention now shifts to the Senate where there are Dear Appropriator Letters for LSTA and IAL. Senator Van Hollen has already signed the LSTA Letter, but not the IAL Letter. Senator Cardin has not signed either. In FY19, both Senators signed both the LSTA and IAL Letters.

Please see Engage for more information, including how to contact Senators. Information about how Maryland Public Libraries transformed lives with LSTA funds is also available.

Thank you in advance for taking action!

Advocacy Alert! Ask your Rep to Fund Libraries, IMLS, LSTA & IAL

3/30/2019 Update:

Thank you for all of your advocacy efforts! Representatives Brown, Raskin, Ruppersberger and Sarbanes all signed the Dear Appropriator Letters for LSTA and IAL.

3/21/2019 Update:

Many thanks for all of your emails and phone calls to our Representatives! As of this morning, several Representatives have signed on to the Dear Appropriator Letters:

• Signed LSTA and IAL Letters: Brown, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes
• Signed LSTA Letter: Raskin

Feel free to send a thank you to those who have signed on.

Cummings, Harris, Hoyer and Trone have not yet signed on to either Letter and Raskin has not yet signed the IAL Letter. Please continue to email or call to ask for their signatures. It is important that they hear from us before the March 28th deadline. Check the Fund Libraries air table for the most up-to-date list of who has signed.

Thank you!

Original post:

The White House released the budget proposal for FY20. Once again, it proposes the elimination of funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL). Dear Appropriator letters are now available for Representatives to sign. (Letters for Senators will be coming soon.)

Please contact your Representative. We would like to have all of MD’s Representatives sign on to the Dear Appropriator letters to show their support for IMLS, LSTA and IAL. We have had great success in the past with Dear Appropriator letters and would like to continue that track record. Most MD Representatives also voted for the Museum & Library Services Act (MLSA), which reauthorized IMLS and LSTA. Here is a summary of past support:

• Signed FY19 LSTA Letter: Brown, Cummings, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes
• Signed FY19 IAL Letter: Raskin, Sarbanes
• Included IMLS, LSTA & IAL on his list of funding priorities: Ruppersberger
• Voted for MLSA: Brown, Cummings, Hoyer, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes

A few additional notes:

• Representative Ruppersberger: Although he typically does not sign onto letters, as a member of the Appropriations Committee he has included IMLS, LSTA and IAL on his list of funding priorities so it is critical for him to hear from us.
• Representative Harris: Although he has not typically shown support, he also serves on the Appropriations Committee so it is important for him to be contacted.
• Representative Hoyer: As the Majority Whip, he will also likely not sign on, but it is still important for him to be contacted.
• Representative Trone: This is his first year in office, so this is the first time he is being asked to sign onto letters.

For more information or to email your Representative, go to Engage.

Thanks in advance for your advocacy!

Advocacy Alert! Email Senators & Rep to cosponsor Museum & Library Services Act

Building on the recent success with funding for libraries, we would now like to secure reauthorization of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). To accomplish this, the Museum and Library Services Act has been introduced in the Senate (S 3530) and House (HR 6988) with bi-partisan support. IMLS administers library funding through the Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA). Reauthorization of IMLS will not guarantee funding in the future, but it demonstrates a strong commitment to IMLS and to continued funding for libraries.

Please email your Senators and Representative using the Engage links below and ask them to cosponsor the reauthorization bill. A pre-written message is provided and you can personalize it to maximize impact. Additional background information is also provided at those links.

Email your Senators asking them to cosponsor S 3530.

Email your Representative asking him to cosponsor HR 6988.

Thanks in advance for your advocacy efforts!

 

President signs bill with FY19 funding for libraries

Yesterday, the President signed a spending bill (HR 6157) that included FY19 funding for many library programs, including:

• $242 million for Institute of Museum & Library Services, a $2 million increase
• $189.3 million for Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA), level-funding
• $27 million for Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL), level-funding

While the bill included FY19 funding for library and other programs under Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, as well as those under Defense, it included only a continuing resolution to fund the rest of the federal government through December 7^th. The continuing resolution provided funding at FY18 levels and avoided a government shutdown.

All of the Maryland members of Congress voted for the budget bill, except Congressman Harris.

For more information about the library programs that were funded, please see the American Libraries article.

Thank you for all of your advocacy efforts to #FundLibraries!

 

Senate approves FY19 library funds in appropriations bill

The full Senate passed a FY19 Labor, Health, Human Services & Education (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill on Thursday with an 85-7 vote. It includes level funding plus a slight increase for IMLS.

• $242 million for Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS), a $2 million increase
• $189.3 million for Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA)
• $27 million for Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL)

The House approved their Labor-HHS bill in July. Congress now must approve 12 spending bills before the start of FY19 on October 1, or pass a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open. The full House is expected to delay voting on the spending bills until after the November election and pass a continuing resolution instead.

Many thanks to all of your earlier advocacy efforts! Senators Cardin and Van Hollen both voted in support of the bill. Please take a moment to thank them for their support either by calling their offices or sending a message through Engage.

For more information, please see the District Dispatch article.

 

Advocacy Alert! Federal Library Funding Cut in FY 2019 Proposal

The FY19 federal budget proposal includes no funding for libraries. The American Library Association Washington Office (ALA-WO) is planning multiple advocacy approaches. See below for more information and the first step that you can take to advocate for funding. A status update on the FY18 budget is also provided.

What Happened

This week, the White House released its budget proposal for FY2019. As we anticipated, the budget proposed a significant cut to federal library funding. The administration’s budget proposal eliminates the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which provides approximately $183 million in direct funding to libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). The budget proposal also eliminates the $27 million Innovative Approaches to Literacy program administered by the Department of Education.

Why It Matters

These proposed cuts would impact many libraries across the country. While public and school libraries would see the largest effects, academic libraries with state-funded databases are also implicated. Since each state is required to match one-third of their federal LSTA grants, any cut to LSTA in the FY2019 budget is likely to lead to a cut on the state level. In addition, the cuts to IAL specifically target school library funding, which will make it harder for vulnerable schools to acquire the books, resources, and training needed to provide high-quality literacy programs for their students.

Wait, What Happened to the FY 2018 Budget?

Last week, Congress passed and the president signed an FY2018 budget deal that will likely include at least level funding for federal library programs at FY 2017 levels. While this budget agreement is a positive step towards resolving the FY 2018 budget, Congress will still be working on the final spending bill for a few more weeks. The ALA Washington Office will continue to monitor progress on the bill.

What You Can Do Now

Congress will have the final say on budget allocations for these programs in the FY2019 budget. Now is the time to let them know how important federal library funding is to their constituents. Use the ALA Action Center to send your Representatives an email  and ask for their public support of library funding throughout the FY2019 appropriations cycle.

This will be a many-step process and we will need your help at key times along the way. Stay tuned for updates.

Thank you in advance for your advocacy efforts!

 

Advocacy Alert! Support IMLS, ask Senators to co-sponsor MLSA 2017

It’s not too late to support the Institute of Museum  & Library Services (IMLS) and the Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA)! The American Library Association’s Washington Office would like for people to call our Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the Museum & Library Services Act (MLSA) of 2017 (S 2271) to reauthorize funding for IMLS and LSTA. This bill, if passed, would send a strong message of IMLS support to the Appropriations Committee.

Visit the engagement on the Engage site for more background information. Then call or email our Senators and tell your story about the importance of IMLS and LSTA funds for your library.

Thanks in advance for your advocacy!

 

Library Funding Bill Passes in Subcommittee

The Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to recommend level funding in FY2018 for the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS), likely including $183 million for the Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) & $27 million for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program!

The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on the subcommittee bills as soon as next Wednesday, July 19^th. See more information in the letter from ALA President Jim Neal on the District Dispatch.

Many thanks for all of your advocacy, particularly contacting Representative Harris who serves on the subcommittee that voted!

Advocacy Alert! IMPORTANT: LSTA & IAL, Critical Round 2 with Andy Harris

We are now entering the critical round two of the Fight for funding for the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS) / Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) funding. Please act quickly and be relentless!

ALA’s Washington Office has informed us that key decisions will be made regarding IMLS/LSTA and IAL by a special subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee called “Labor H” beginning in the upcoming week.   Maryland’s own Andy Harris is on that special subcommittee and will play an influential role so it is essential that those who are his constituents phone and write Representative Harris as soon as possible—and that they spread the word to other pro-library constituents.  See the links below and please act now. 

ALA Washington Office tell us that : “If the “numbers” that the Subcommittee appropriates for IMLS, LSTA and IAL are low or zero, that will leave them in huge trouble as this first Subcommittee vote is by far the most important and influential in the entire appropriations process. That makes the members of the House “Labor H” subcommittee who represent you – especially its Chairman (OK) and seven other Republicans (AL, AR, ID, MD [Andy Harris], MI, TN, WA) – the most important members in all of Congress at this point when it comes to federal library funding for FY 2018.”

Remember that we were encouraged by another member of Congress to not give up on Representative Harris—that we can and will influence him if we continue to be determined and persuasive!  Now that effort is of the utmost importance.

Don’t forget that numbers are critical!  Harris Constituents, please call and write and also get the word out to your Friends, Foundations, Staff Associations, students, parents, etc. Congressional  Aids will literally tally the number of calls and emails and tell Members of Congress the level of support for libraries.

Here are some of key facts and links:

• ALA asks Rep. Andy Harris’ constituents to contact their DC office immediately through the ALA Legislative Action Center to urge support for IMLS, and $186.6 million for LSTA and $27 million for IAL in FY 2018: the same funding levels for LSTA and IAL specified in the Dear Appropriator letters we all finished calling about just before Memorial Day. The ALA Legislative Action Center is all set to permit anyone entering a zip code in your Congressperson’s District to use its draft email message, or to customize the text as they wish.  THEN, Call Representative Harris’s Office: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday DC Office Phone: 202-225-5311

• Maryland received 2.9 million dollars in LSTA funding in FY 2016.   IAL, designed to help only the poorest school libraries, is supported Baltimore City Public Schools through a grant in 2016.  Your examples of how IMLS/LSTA and IAL funds have impacted your county community are powerful with your representative.  Consider examples regarding training, statewide leadership form the state library, support for innovation in services, evaluation, and increasing positive community impact.   Loss of LSTA funds would devastate the State Library Agency (Division of Library Development & Services), as the funds are used for their operations, as well as to support state-wide training, MLA Conference programs, the Maryland Library Leadership Institute and more. LSTA issue brief available at: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/state-lsta-funding-history.

 

• Additional information about LSTA and IAL funds in Maryland are available on the Maryland Engage site.

Our determined efforts in May had a huge impact on the number of Dear Appropriator Letters from Maryland representatives.  Let’s not lose that momentum as actual budgetary decisions for FY 2018 are being made by the House Appropriations Subcommittee and Rep Harris.  Write and call and spread the word.

Thank you!!