[Libs-Or] Fwd: [alacoun] Filed!

[Diedre Conkling]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Emily Sheketoff <esheketoff at alawash.org>
Date: Tue, Sep 17, 2013 at 6:20 AM
Subject: [alacoun] Filed!
To: "ALA Council (alacoun at ala.org)" <alacoun at ala.org>


 *ALA calls for leap forward in E-rate goals; streamlined program*

** **

September 16 the American Library Association (ALA) filed comments that
asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to accelerate deployment
of the high-capacity broadband needed to serve students and learners of all
ages through our nation's libraries and schools. ALA calls for new
strategic investments in telecommunications and broadband infrastructure,
as well as program changes to improve cost-effectiveness and streamline
processes to enable greater participation.****

** **

America's 16,417 public libraries serve more than 77 million computer users
each year, yet only half of these multi-user outlets offer Internet speeds
above the FCC's *home* broadband recommendation of 4 Mbps. Through these
Internet connections, libraries support the education, employment and
e-government resources and services all increasingly moving to "the cloud."*
***

** **

"The nation is facing a sea change in what robust technology infrastructure
can enable, and libraries are perfectly positioned to light the way forward
and ensure no one is excluded from digital opportunity," said ALA President
Barbara Stripling. "America's libraries must move from basic connectivity
to high-capacity broadband so our students and our communities can compete
globally The E-rate program is essential for fulfilling this digital
promise."****

** **

Culminating two months of intensive review and research, the ALA's response
to the FCC's most comprehensive E-rate proceeding since the program's 1997
inception acknowledges this enormous opportunity for advancing the E-rate
program. Today's filing also aligns with President Obama's ConnectED goal
to connect America's students through libraries and schools to the internet
through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within five years. ****

** **

The ALA calls for new E-rate funding to jumpstart and sustain high-capacity
and high-speed internet connections that support digital learning and
economic development through libraries and schools. The current funding cap
on the program consistently falls far short of meeting basic demand for
internet-enabled education and learning services, and technology trends
clearly show needs and future capabilities only are growing. To address
this, ALA supports a two-pronged approach: 1) New temporary funding is
needed to support the build-out of high-capacity broadband networks and
especially provide increased support for libraries with the lowest levels
of broadband connectivity. 2) A permanent increase in funding is not only
justified but is a sound investment for the country.****

** **

"Current funding does not reflect the economic reality faced by libraries
and schools as they try to upgrade their broadband services," said Emily
Sheketoff, director of the ALA Washington Office. "This FCC proceeding
provides an important opportunity to add more funding to the program and
increase the value of the program to libraries, schools and our
communities."****

** **

ALA's comments also encourage the FCC to:****

**·       **Provide additional E-rate discounts for remote rural libraries
that often confront  the greatest broadband costs; ****

**·       **Streamline the E-rate's application review process to incent
consortium purchasing and replace E-rate program procurement rules with
those of the applicable locality or state; ****

**·       **Lower barriers to deployment of dark and lit fiber and
ownership of wide area networks when they are the most cost-effective ways
to deliver high-capacity broadband to libraries and schools;****

**·       **Work in cooperation with the library and schools communities to
develop scalable bandwidth targets and benchmarks for measuring progress
against these targets; and****

**·       **Eliminate the Form 470 and allow applicants to file an
"evergreen" Form 471 for multi-year contracts.****

** **

"We commend the FCC Commissioners on their thoughtful and thorough
invitation to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the E-rate
program," said Marijke Visser, assistant director of the ALA Office for
Information Technology Policy. "Today's filing is clearly only the first
step to an E-rate 2.0, and we look forward to engaging in the process over
the coming months."****



-- 
*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>

 "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change
your attitude."--Maya Angelou
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