Jody Newman mentioned some sources below to learn about the process.
Don't forget the ALA Washington Office has developed a new page on
grassroots advocacy under their section on Getting involved at
http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/gettinginvolved/grassroots/grassroots.cfm
It attempts to explain all the sources available for you and relates
this to how you can use the information. Erin Haggerty in the office
is continuing to update this page and will hopefully have a new
one-sheet paper there that you can then download and use in your
state and local newsletters. We all are advocates and this will help
you be a more effective one at the federal level. Of course you can
translate these skills to the state and local levels.
I totally agree with Stephanie and Jody. I see so many people
entering contests and focusing their efforts on other internet quick
tricks. It's time for us to use our internet and email skills to
quickly ask our representatives to be co-sponsors. Emily Sheketoff
said she'd like to see 435 co-sponsors to this bill, but it will take
each of us to reach out to our representatives and MAKE THE ASK! Thanks.
Diane
> From Jody Newman:
>Dear Netters:
>
>Stephanie's appeal for support of two bills in Congress is a
>wonderful opportunity to learn about our legislative process and how
>WE can make a difference. Believe me, if we can go online and vote
>for someone to win a contest with but a few clicks of our mouses
>(mice?), imagine what we could do with these bills?
>
>I would first direct you to Thomas...a great site for finding out
>all about a bill:
>http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110query.html
>Once at the site, under ENTER SEARCH, change it from Word/Phrase to
>Bill Number on the pulldown menu and then type in either S. 1699 or
>H.R. 2864 - VOILA...there's the bill and you can click around the
>links and see who's sponsoring it, the text of the bill (when it
>arrives), and the status of it...right now it's been referred to committee.
>
>Since only a few congressmen have signed on...you will need to
>contact your rep/senator and get them motivated. The easy way to do
>this is to find out who they are and email them...or better write
>them or call. Here's where to start:
>http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
>Just click on your state and you'll have all you need. What I did
>was copy and pasted the "Talking Points" paragraph from Stephanie's
>appeal and added a sentence or two asking for support. OR if you
>want to use your own words...go for it! Give examples of what it is
>like in the trenches - tell stories about what you've seen when
>there isn't a LMS available.
>
>Had enough??? NO??? Well maybe you'd like to write the folks on the
>House/Senate committee where the bills have been sent (and may
>languish unless people write in) to get them to move on the
>bill...you can find the committees at:
>http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgi-bin/committee_list.cgi?site=ctc
>Or for convenience - go here...and if you see one of your
>congresspeople listed - be sure to write them, if your reps aren't
>there...write them anyway!
>For the house: http://tinyurl.com/cq3js
>For the senate: http://tinyurl.com/3366f9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diane R. Chen, Library Information Specialist
CELL: 615 310-7247
Hickman Elementary, 112 Stewart's Ferry Pike
Nashville, TN 37214 TEL: 615 884-4026
Personal Email: DianeRChen@comcast.net
Work Email: diane.chen@mnps.org
Blogs at http://deepthinking.blogsome.com
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/830000283.html
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