[Libs-Or] Fwd: [alacoun] Letters to President-Elect

[Diedre Conkling]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Emily Sheketoff <esheketoff at alawash.org>
Date: Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Subject: [alacoun] Letters to President-Elect
To: alacoun at ala.org
Cc: alacol2 at ala.org


 The following letters were sent from President Rettig to President-Elect
and Vice President-Elect last week



November 12, 2008





The Honorable Barak Obama

President-Elect of the United States

713 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC  20510





Dear President-Elect Obama:



On behalf of the American Library Association (ALA) and its 66,000 members,
it is an honor and pleasure to congratulate you on your election as
President of the United States.



The ALA is dedicated to enhancing learning and ensuring access to
information for all citizens of this nation.  We stand ready to partner with
you in your plans to revitalize our nation's economy, including efforts to
help unemployed and underemployed Americans become part of the 21st Century
workforce.



In order to compete effectively in the global market, all our citizens must
possess modern-day literacy skills and be able to participate fully in the
challenges and demands of a complex information society.   Everyone must
have access to the ever-expanding universe of tools, services and resources
available on the Internet.  Yet, in 73 percent of our communities, the
public library provides the only no-fee access for Internet service.  In
rural America, the rate goes up to 83 percent.



We share your commitment to making broadband available to every community in
America through a combination of reform of the Universal Service Fund;
better use of the nation's wireless spectrum; promotion of next-generation
facilities, technologies and applications; and new tax and loan incentives.
We are actively working in these areas already and look forward to helping
make them reality under the Obama Administration.



Your election opens new doors of hope and opportunity for all Americans.  It
provides the catalyst we need to make so many changes possible. The ALA is
proud to stand as a partner with you in working for change.  We look forward
to a long and productive working relationship on behalf of our nation's
citizens.



With warmest regards,

Jim Rettig

President, American Library Association



November 12, 2008





The Honorable Joseph R. Biden

Vice President-Elect of the United States

201 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510



Dear Vice President-Elect Biden:



On behalf of the American Library Association (ALA) and its 66,000 members,
it is an honor and pleasure to congratulate you on your election as Vice
President of the United States.



The ALA is dedicated to enhancing learning and ensuring access to
information for all citizens of this nation.  We stand ready to partner with
you in your plans to revitalize our nation's economy, including efforts to
help unemployed and underemployed Americans become part of the 21st Century
workforce.



We agree with your determination to close the digital divide in America and
to ensure that all our citizens possess modern-day literacy skills needed to
participate fully in the challenges and demands of a complex information
society.   Everyone must have access to the ever-expanding universe of
tools, services and resources available on the Internet.  Yet, in 73 percent
of our communities, the public library provides the only no-fee access for
Internet service.  In rural America, the rate goes up to 83 percent.



We share your commitment to making broadband available to every community in
America through a combination of reform of the Universal Service Fund;
better use of the nation's wireless spectrum; promotion of next-generation
facilities, technologies and applications; and new tax and loan incentives.
We are actively working in these areas already and look forward to helping
make them reality under the Obama-Biden Administration.



Your election opens new doors of hope and opportunity for all Americans.  It
provides the catalyst we need to make so many changes possible. The ALA is
proud to stand as a partner with you in working for change.  We look forward
to a long and productive working relationship on behalf of our nation's
citizens.



With warmest regards,

Jim Rettig

President, American Library Association





-- 
Diedre Conkling
diedre08 at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20081117/f85de9d9/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: attf6908.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1481 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20081117/f85de9d9/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: attbe97.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1537 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20081117/f85de9d9/attachment-0001.jpg>