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Please contact your Senator's office by May 14th and ask him/her to sign the "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program. The deadline has been extended to May 14, 2009 for the "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program. As of Friday May 1, we only have 13 signatures on the letter. Last year we had 47 signatures. This is a tough budget year. After passing the stimulus package, only a select few programs will receive an increase in FY 2010. LSTA and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program are in serious danger of receiving level funding, or possibly even cuts, if we don't have 60 signatures on the letter. Please contact your Senator's office immediately and encourage your library patrons, supporters and co-workers to do so as well! The letter is addressed to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittees and requests that the Senate include $300 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the Improving Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2010. Visit http://capwiz.com/ala/home/ for more details and contact info for your Senator. When you contact your Senator's office you must that he or she call Andrew Odgren with Senator Reed at 202-224-4642 or Mathew Hussey with Senator Snowe at 202-224-5344 to sign on to the letter. Talking Points: * The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) was reauthorized as part of the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 (H.R. 13) and signed by the President on September 25, 2003 (P.L. 108-81) * LSTA is the only federal funding program exclusively for libraries * The Grants to State Library Agencies program provides funds to State Library Administrative Agencies using a population-based formula. State libraries may use the appropriation to support statewide initiatives and services; they also may distribute the funds through subgrant competitions or cooperative agreements to public, academic, research, school, and special libraries in their state. * LSTA offers a variety of competitive grants available to librarians: The 21st Century Librarians Program; The National Leadership Grants; and the Native American Library Services: Enhancement Grants. * Around the country, knowledgeable librarians use the flexible LSTA funding to help patrons access essential information on a wide range of topics. They offer training on résumé development; help on web searches of job banks; workshops on career information; links to essential educational and community services; assistive devices for people with disabilities; family and youth literacy classes and services; homework help and mentoring programs; access to government information; a forum for enhanced civic engagement; summer reading programs and much more * LSTA provides funds to help libraries connect to each other electronically and provide users access to information through state, regional, national, and international networks * State libraries use LSTA funds to support statewide initiatives and also distribute the funds through subgrants or cooperative agreements to public, school, academic, research, and special libraries * LSTA funding enables libraries to pursue innovative opportunities, recruit and educate the next generation of librarians, and support research that is critical to libraries of all types * LSTA funds help libraries provide persons of limited financial resources or who live in remote areas, access to books and reference materials, computers and the internet, and community-based social services that are often available nowhere else * LSTA helps libraries serve as an important link to the business community, assisting with job creation and training programs, as well as assisting with business development initiatives. * Across the United States, numerous studies have shown that students in schools with strong school libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized test scores than their peers in schools without libraries. * Education is not exclusive to the classroom; it extends into school libraries. Long regarded as the cornerstone of the school community, school libraries are no longer just for books. Instead, they have become sophisticated 21st century learning environments offering a full range of print and electronic resources that provide equal learning opportunities to all students, regardless of the socio-economic or education levels of the community. School library media specialists collaborate with teachers and engage students meaningfully with information that matters to them both in the classroom and in the real world. They are a critical part of the instructional staff. * The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program is designed to improve student literacy skills and academic achievement by providing schools with up-to-date library materials, and to ensure that school library media centers are staffed by well-trained state-certified school library media specialists. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Education and is the first program specifically aimed at upgrading school libraries since the original school library resources program was established in 1965. The Department of Education's January 2009 evaluation of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program found it has been successful in improving the quality of school libraries. * When the funding levels are less than $100 million in a fiscal year, the Secretary awards competitive grants to eligible school districts. When funds are equal to or more than $100 million, the program will be distributed as formula grants to state departments of education. In FY 2008, out 496 applications received by the US Department of Education, there was only enough funds to award 60 grants. * Across the United States, numerous studies have shown that students in schools with strong school libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized test scores than their peers in schools without libraries. * Education is not exclusive to the classroom; it extends into school libraries. Long regarded as the cornerstone of the school community, school libraries are no longer just for books. Instead, they have become sophisticated 21st century learning environments offering a full range of print and electronic resources that provide equal learning opportunities to all students, regardless of the socio-economic or education levels of the community. School library media specialists collaborate with teachers and engage students meaningfully with information that matters to them both in the classroom and in the real world. They are a critical part of the instructional staff. * The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program is designed to improve student literacy skills and academic achievement by providing schools with up-to-date library materials, and to ensure that school library media centers are staffed by well-trained state-certified school library media specialists. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Education and is the first program specifically aimed at upgrading school libraries since the original school library resources program was established in 1965. The Department of Education's January 2009 evaluation of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program found it has been successful in improving the quality of school libraries. * When the funding levels are less than $100 million in a fiscal year, the Secretary awards competitive grants to eligible school districts. When funds are equal to or more than $100 million, the program will be distributed as formula grants to state departments of education. In FY 2008, out 496 applications received by the US Department of Education, there was only enough funds to award 60 grants. UPDATE - The following Senators have signed onto the Dear Colleague for FY2010: Reed Snowe Kohl Lautenberg Cardin Gillibrand Lieberman Wyden Boxer Lincoln Kennedy Menendez Whitehouse Bingaman Sanders While it is critical that we thank these Senators, we need at least 60 signatures to make our needs heard. The following Senators have signed on in the past, but have not done so this year: Collins Cantwell Sanders Pryor Tester Brown Leahy Dodd Sununu Smith Levin Kerry Akaka Rockefeller Stabenow Durbin Schumer Johnson Baucus Klobuchar Feingold Mikulski Casey Dole Conrad Burr McCaskill Salazar Bill Nelson Webb Coleman Beth Yoke, Executive Director Young Adult Library Services Association fastest growing division of ALA 50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611 1.800.545.2433 x4391 fax: 312.280.5276 Attend the Genre Galaxy Workshop in July! http://tinyurl.com/GenreGalaxy byoke@ala.org <mailto:byoke@ala.org> -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, you send a message to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * LM_NET Help & Information: http://lmnet.wordpress.com/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/join.html * LM_NET Supporters: http://lmnet.wordpress.com/category/links/el-announce/ --------------------------------------------------------------------