I sent information out to you about this bill yesterday. I also wrote to the ALA Washington Office about the situation in Oregon. I am putting this correspondence at the end of this message. There is information about how we in Oregon might want to approach talking with Senators Wyden and Merkely about this bill.<br>
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<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Kristin K. Murphy</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kmurphy@alawash.org">kmurphy@alawash.org</a>></span><br>Date: Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 1:27 PM<br>
Subject: [fllan] Action Alert: Jobs for Main Street Act<br>To: <a href="mailto:fllan@ala.org">fllan@ala.org</a><br>Cc: "Jeffrey P. Kratz" <<a href="mailto:jkratz@alawash.org">jkratz@alawash.org</a>><br><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dear library advocates, </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The ALA Office of Government Relations (OGR) is asking that all state chapters mobilize library advocates in each state to contact their U.S. Senators regarding the <i>Jobs for Main Street Act</i>, also known as the “Jobs Bill.” </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) announced today that he and Senator Richard Durbin will be introducing the senate version of Jobs for Main Street Act or simply jobs bill. This bill will be $80 billion aimed at getting Americans back to work. Sources on Capitol Hill have indicated that libraries are not included in this bill, but it does include $18 billion to hire and retain teachers, $500 million for hiring police and another $500 million for hiring firefighters. Because this bill has not been introduced, there is no bill number yet.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The House in December passed their version of the Jobs for Main Street Act. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Ask your advocates to call and email their senators’ offices; Call the U.S. Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121. For email addresses and other contact information go to: <a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: windowtext">http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm</span></a></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The message to advocates – as soon as possible is:</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><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. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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!!</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Please act now.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Sincerely,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Kristin Murphy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">ALA Washington Office</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">URGENT MESSAGE TO LIBRARY ADVOCATES: </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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. </span></p>
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<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">BACKGROUND FOR “JOBS FOR MAIN STREET ACT”</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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. </span></p>
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<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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).</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">6. The Chief State Library Officer in each state would be responsible for distributing funds to local public libraries based on their local needs.</span></p>
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<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">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.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Call the U.S. Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121. For email addresses and other contact information go to: <a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: windowtext">http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-----------------------------</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> fromLynne E. Bradley <<a href="mailto:lbradley@alawash.org">lbradley@alawash.org</a>><br>toDiedre Conkling <<a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com">diedre08@gmail.com</a>></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">cc"Kristin K. Murphy" <<a href="mailto:kmurphy@alawash.org">kmurphy@alawash.org</a>></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">dateTue, Feb 2, 2010 at 12:51 PM<br>subjectRE: Jobs bill<br><a href="http://mailed-byalawash.org">mailed-byalawash.org</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">hide details 12:51 PM (39 minutes ago) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Diedre,<br>Thank you for doing this outreach – and thanks for sharing the feedback and this information. Certainly community colleges will be getting funding from a couple of these programs. Obama keeps mentioning them every single day as he is going around the country. If some of your folks do decide to communicate with Wyden and Merkely the message could be something like:<br>
<br>“Public librarians are lucky in Oregon where we have not experienced the same drastic cuts that public libraries in so many other states have sustained. All kinds of libraries are helping people find jobs, apply for positions and develop new career skills as well as resumes. We ask you to support our colleagues in other states and seek to include “librarians” in the Senate “jobs bill” along with the other public servants such as teachers and firefighters. <br>
<br>We are also glad to see President Obama’s commitment to community colleges. We hope that the “jobs bill” and other initiatives will recognize the needs of our academic libraries in Oregon and across the country that have been impacted by serious cuts. <br>
<br>We know of your long time support for libraries – and hope that you will support any of the alternatives that will help academic librarians in Oregon and our colleagues across the country.”<br> <br>So let’s stay in touch – and we’ll be sending out more updates as things move along.<br>
Lynne<br> <br> <br> <br>From: Diedre Conkling [mailto:<a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com">diedre08@gmail.com</a>] <br>Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 3:24 PM<br>To: Lynne E. Bradley<br>Cc: Kristin K. Murphy<br>Subject: Jobs bill<br>
- Hide quoted text -<br> <br>Yesterday I was at the Oregon Library Association Legislative Committee meeting when the message about the Jobs Bill came out so I discussed it with the group.<br> <br>This is a hard one for us to push with our Congressional representatives, not because we are not concerned for librarians around the country but because we don't seem to be in the same situation. According to the State Librarian, in public libraries the total number of librarians employed has not decreased. There are some libraries here and there that have had decreases because of their city or county's funding but there is not net loss or net gain. We have had several areas, one very large area, where library districts have been formed so they are no longer a part of city or county general funds but have their own property taxes. And, property taxes have not been substancially hit in most areas.<br>
<br>On the other hand, higher education is being seriously hit. Either positions are not being filled or positions are being eliminated. We know this is happening but we have no statistical information to back it up.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </span></p></div></div></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Diedre Conkling<br>Lincoln County Library District<br>
P.O. Box 2027<br>Newport, OR 97365<br>Work phone & fax: 541-265-3066<br>Work email: <a href="mailto:diedre@beachbooks.org">diedre@beachbooks.org</a><br>Home email: <a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com">diedre08@gmail.com</a><br>