[Libs-Or] INFORMATION Fwd: [District Dispatch] ALA urges deficit-reduction 'supercommittee' to guard resources for job seekers

[Diedre Conkling]

FYI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jenni Terry <jterry at alawash.org>
Date: Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Subject: [District Dispatch] ALA urges deficit-reduction 'supercommittee' to
guard resources for job seekers


[District Dispatch] ALA urges deficit-reduction 'supercommittee' to guard
resources for job seekers

The American Library Association (ALA) Washington Office today sent a
letter<http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/CNHOQNODXP/BTEUQNOEJF/7326610481>(pdf)
to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, urging the
bipartisan, 12-member panel to protect federal support for our nation’s
libraries in its soon-to-be-released deficit reduction package.

The committee, often referred to as the deficit-reduction “supercommittee,”
was formed after the passage of the Budget Control Act of 2011 and tasked
with reducing the federal budget deficits by a total of at least $1.5
trillion over 10 years. ALA asked the committee to maintain funding for the
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), which was reauthorized last
December. LSTA is a population-based grant to states that is administered
through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and serves as
the primary source of federal support for our nation’s libraries.

“We wanted to make it clear to the supercommittee that pulling funding from
America’s libraries would have widespread repercussions that would undermine
our nation’s economic recovery,” Emily Sheketoff, director of the ALA
Washington Office said.

“While we understand the need to reign in federal spending, the ALA asserts
cutting support for libraries will set back countless Americans who are
turning to their libraries for education and assistance with job searching
and digital literacy training.”

The ALA’s letter pointed to an Institute of Museum and Library Services
study released last year, which stated that over 69 percent of U.S.
residents age 14 or older have visited a public library at least once in the
past 12 months. According to the study, library visits are highest among the
working poor (earning 100-200 percent of federal poverty guidelines) and
those with incomes more than 300 percent of the poverty guidelines. The
study also stated that patrons reported using library resources and services
to address a range of basic needs, including workforce development
activities:

   - 30 million people used library computers and internet access for
   employment or career purposes;
   - Among the employment users, 76 percent used a library’s computers or
   Internet connection specifically for their search for job opportunities;
   - 68 percent of the users who searched for a job submitted an application
   online; and
   - 46 percent of the employment users used library computers to work on
   their resumes.

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction plans to release its package
in late November.






-- 
*Diedre Conkling**
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066
Work email**: **diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*
Home email: **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>

 WAR IS OBSOLETE<http://www.facebook.com/pages/WAR-IS-OBSOLETE/297916183027>
Holding resentment is like eating poison and waiting for the other person to
keel over. - Unknown Author
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20110913/ea888143/attachment.html>