[Libs-Or] INFORMATION Fwd: [District Dispatch] ALA urges FCC to implement E-rate changes proposed in National Broadband Plan

[Diedre Conkling]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jacob Roberts <jroberts at alawash.org>
Date: Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 8:18 AM
Subject: [District Dispatch] ALA urges FCC to implement E-rate changes
proposed in National Broadband Plan
To: district at ala.org


FULL POST: http://nblo.gs/5J9Dh
--
FULL POST: http://nblo.gs/5J9Dh
--
District Dispatch has posted a new item, 'ALA urges FCC to implement E-rate
changes proposed in National Broadband Plan'

Contact: Jenni Terry
Press Officer
ALA Washington Office
(202) 628-8410
jterry at alawash.org
For Immediate Release
July 12, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Library Association (ALA)'s comments (pdf)
to
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding the E-rate program,
the
program that provides schools and libraries with discounts on
telecommunications services, urge the FCC to implement and build upon
recommendations proposed in the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

The ALA wholeheartedly supports the FCC's initiative to "maximize the
utilization of broadband" and agrees "it is time to re-examine what is
working
well and what can be improved in the current program."  The ALA acknowledges
the tremendous scope of this undertaking and commends the FCC for the
opportunity to comment.

The association calls on the FCC to streamline the E-rate application
process
and index the annual funding cap to inflation plus address actual applicant
demand, among a number of other recommendations.  ALA continues to caution
the
FCC not to expand the program to new services at the expense of the critical
current applicant needs.

"Over the past 13 years of the E-rate program, libraries have received over
one
billion dollars.  This figure represents real dollars libraries are bringing
to
their states and local communities - something that is of no small
significance
when we hear stories about shrinking budgets from libraries across the
country," said Marijke Visser, information technology policy analyst for the
ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy.

"Libraries depend on E-rate discounts in order to be able to provide
services
their patrons have come to expect - completing job applications,
participating
in online classes, learning basic computer skills.  ALA will continue to
monitor the progress started with this NPRM and expects to provide
additional
comments on some of the issues during the reply comment period."

While the ALA believes the commission accurately identified application
complexity as a major stumbling block for libraries, the ALA specifically
asks
for further streamlining to make it easier for applicants to apply for and
receive discounts.  The ALA also proposes that the commission should remove
the
technology plan requirement entirely from the application process for
priority
one services and allow applicants to rely on the requirements of their own
state and local governments.

The association's comments affirm the ALA's position that Priority Two
services, such as internal connections and basic maintenance of connections,
are an important component of providing advanced telecommunication services,
but the association suggests that the primary focus should remain Priority
One
services. Without adequate funding for Priority One services, libraries
would
have little need for Priority Two funding.  The ALA asserts that this is
critical since proposals to improve applicant access to Priority Two
services
are all at the cost of Priority One services.

The ALA projects that applicant demand for Priority One and Two services in
2010 is about $10 billion - more than the entire Universal Service Fund -
and
will reach close to $13 billion dollars by 2015.   Since, as the NBP states,
the current buying power of the $2.25 billion dollar fund has diminished by
about $650 million dollars since the beginning of the program, the ALA
asserts
that raising the cap to the rate of inflation is the correct first step in
increasing the buying power of the fund but more needs to be done to account
for actual applicant demand.

Linda Lord, State Librarian of Maine and chair of the ALA E-rate Task Force,
the changes the ALA seeks will benefit citizens in every state.

"In the State of Maine every school building and every public library
benefiting from E-rate is receiving a 10mgb connection this summer. This
would
not be possible without the federal e-rate program," Lord said.

"Since many of our citizens rely on public library computers for job
information, access to government forms, legal and medical information, and
general research, we regard this connectivity as an essential service to
Maine
citizens.  Simplification of the E-rate process, while maintaining its
integrity, and raising the funding cap will make this program even more
accessible to libraries in Maine and across the country."

###

You may view the latest post at
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=5133

You received this e-mail because you asked to be notified when new updates
are
posted.
Best regards,
Jacob Roberts
jroberts at alawash.org



-- 
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Work phone & fax:  541-265-3066
Work email:  diedre at beachbooks.org
Home email:  diedre08 at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20100712/5994c0c1/attachment.html>