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FYI,<br>
<br>
Suzanne L. Sager<br>
Oregon ALA Chapter Councilor<br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
current draft of the Senate's $80 billion version of the <i>Jobs for
Main
Street Act</i> does not include librarians. However, the bill does
include $20.5 billion for “Creating Jobs that Provide Public Services”
which includes $18 billion for hiring and retaining teachers; $500
million for
hiring firefighters; $500 million for hiring police and $1.5 billion
for hiring
and training youth.<br>
<br>
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
message to advocates – as soon as possible is:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ALA
has reports from Congressional offices that they hear from teachers,
police and
firefighters every day and almost nothing from the library community.
Libraries are as essential as schools and public safety and help the
economy by
helping people find jobs. Yet library jobs are being cut – and,
now, not included in this jobs bill. It is vitally important that
librarians be as vocal as these other public employees. The reason they
are
getting funding in this piece of legislation is because they are
calling their
congressional offices more often and in higher numbers than we are. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Your
grassroots efforts are critically important. The omission of
librarians in
the jobs bill is in addition to the troubling news this week that
President Obama’s
budget proposal freezes the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)
and
consolidates the school library program with literacy programs in the
Department of Education. These cuts will lead to a loss of jobs and a
loss of services that our communities cannot afford to be without.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Please
call both of your U.S. Senators to ask each of them to request that
Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), and
Senator
Byron Dorgan (D-ND), include the hiring and retaining of librarians in
the $18 billion as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br>
This bill could come up at any moment and it is critically important
that you
contact your Senators’ offices <b>immediately</b> and tell them to
push
the above Senate leaders to include librarians in the jobs bill.
Don’t just call once – keep calling until we succeed. Make
sure to tell your senators what your library is doing to help people
find
jobs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We
cannot let this legislation pass without the inclusion of library
employees. We have no chance of getting into this legislation without
your calls and emails – and the support of all senators!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Please
act now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">LEB<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: blue;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br>
</p>
<div class="Section1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">URGENT
MESSAGE TO LIBRARY ADVOCATES: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Please
call both of your U.S. Senators to ask each of them to request that
Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), and
Senator
Byron Dorgan (D-ND), include the hiring and retaining of librarians in
the $18 billion “Jobs Bill” as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">BACKGROUND
FOR “JOBS FOR MAIN STREET ACT”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1.
Libraries play a key role in getting America back to work again.
Nationwide,
the library is the only source of no-fee Internet access for 71 percent
of
Americans. With more and more job applications only being accepted
online, the
public library is becoming the center of most American’s job searches.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2.
State Library Agencies reported in November 2009 that 77 percent of
states cut
funds that support local public libraries, which has meant layoffs,
staff
furloughs, and forced retirements. This has caused a 75 percent cut in
services
to the public including canceled statewide databases used for job
searching,
homework help, and cuts in 24/7 reference, which are used by small
businesses
and students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3.
Our proposal to be a part of the $20.5 billion program to create jobs
that
provide public services would not add any additional funding, but would
give
libraries a specific amount to draw on. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4.
The money would be used for library jobs that are focused on assisting
patrons
with getting back to work – thereby having the impact of assisting
literally millions of Americans find employment. None of these funds
would be
used for facilities or equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5.
These funds would be distributed in a clear, concise, affirmative
manner. Funds
would be distributed to states using a formula through IMLS based 50
percent on
population, and 50 percent on relative unemployment (similar to the
Department
of Labor’s Dislocated Worker Program).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6.
The Chief State Library Officer in each state would be responsible for
distributing funds to local public libraries based on their local needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7.
A minimum amount of funding per library could offer one library staff
job per
building based upon need and a maximum of five full-time staff.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9.
Funds would be limited to hiring back staff released due to budget
cuts,
recruiting new staff and/or expanding staff services around job
searching and
employment skills training.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Call
the U.S. Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121. For email addresses
and other contact information go to: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm"><span
style="color: windowtext;">http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; color: blue;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<img alt="Portland State University logo"
src="cid:part1.06020407.06040004@pdx.edu" align="left" height="35"
width="165"><br>
<br>
<p
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Suzanne
L. Sager<br>
Library East, Cataloging<br>
Portland State University<br>
<br>
503-725-8169<br>
503-725-5799<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:sagers@pdx.edu">sagers@pdx.edu</a></p>
</div>
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