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<h1 class="gmail-post-title"><font size="2"><span style="font-weight:normal"><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2018/03/house-dear-appropriator/">http://www.districtdispatch.org/2018/03/house-dear-appropriator/</a></span></font><br></h1><h1 class="gmail-post-title">House releases dear appropriator letters: call your Representative before March 19</h1>
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Published March 6, 2018 </span>
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<span>by</span>
Kevin Maher<br><header class="gmail-site-header" id="gmail-site-header"><div id="gmail-title-container" class="gmail-title-container"><p class="gmail-tagline"><br></p> </div>
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<article><div class="gmail-post-container"><div class="gmail-post-content"><p>The campaign to save over $210 million in library funding
begins this week in the House of Representatives with the release of
two Dear Appropriator letters.*</p>
<p>Our activity starts on the heels of the <a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2018/02/white-house-budget-proposal-continues-to-miscalculate/">White House budget proposal for FY 2019</a>,
which recommends the elimination of most federal library funding.
Though the budget proposal is concerning, it is Congress that has the
final say over the FY 2019 budget.</p>
<p>Starting today, two Dear Appropriator letters are circulating in
support of federal library funding for FY 2019 for both LSTA and IAL. <strong>Library advocates need to contact their representatives this week and ask them to sign both letters by the March 19 deadline.</strong></p>
<p>The more signatures we get on these Dear Appropriator letters, the
better proof we have of the wide, bipartisan backing for federal library
funding. For many members of Congress (especially those not on the
Appropriations Committee), signing these letters is the best opportunity
for them to show their unequivocal support for our nation’s libraries.</p>
<p>The FY 2019 LSTA Dear Appropriator letter, led by Rep. Raul Grijalva
(D-AZ), and calls on Congress to provide at least $187 million for LSTA.
Thanks to ALA members, one-third of the entire House of Representatives
(144 members) signed the FY 2018 LSTA letter <a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2018/01/ala-2018-continue-to-fundlibraries/">last year</a>. Our goal is to increase the number of signatories for the FY 2019 letter.</p>
<p>The FY 2019 IAL Dear Appropriator Letter is again led by four
representatives: Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Rep. Don Young
(R-AK), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ). Last
year, ALA members succeeded in securing 146 signatures on the IAL
letter. Again, our goal is to increase the number of signatories.</p>
<p>When you call your member’s office, the script can be as simple as:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Hello, I am a constituent of Representative [name] from
[your town]. I am calling today to urge the representative to sign two
Dear Appropriator letters supporting over $210 million in library
funding – one letter for the Library Services and Technology Act and one
for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Even if member of Congress tells you that they have a policy of not
signing onto letters, respond by asking them to support an increase in
federal library funding.</p>
<p>Want to send an email? Visit the <a href="http://ala.org/takeaction">Action Center</a> to take advantage of our email template.</p>
<p>This year, the ALA Washington Office has provided new tools to enhance your advocacy. On the <a href="http://www.ala.org/fundlibraries">Fund Libraries</a>
page, you will find a table where you can track whether your
representative has signed the FY 2019 letters and see your
representative’s history of support for previous years’ Dear
Appropriator letters. You will also find links to resources for writing
letters to the editors of news outlets to publicly urge your member of
Congress to sign the FY 2019 Dear Appropriator letters.</p>
<p>The fight for library funding is on. The first step to guaranteeing
support for federal library funding is for you to invite your member of
Congress to sign the Dear Appropriator letters on LSTA and IAL. Make
your call today, and then check <a href="http://www.ala.org/fundlibraries">Fund Libraries</a>
to see when your representative signs the letters. And stay tuned –
similar letters will be circulating in the Senate in a few weeks and
this process will start again.</p></div></div></article></div></div></section>
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<br><br clear="all"><br><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2018/03/house-dear-appropriator/">http://www.districtdispatch.org/2018/03/house-dear-appropriator/</a><br><br><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt">Diedre Conkling</span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"><br><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Lincoln County Library District</span></i><br><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">P.O. Box 2027</span></i><br><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Newport, OR 97365</span></i><br><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066</span></i><br><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Work email</span></i></span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt;font-style:normal">: </span></i><a href="mailto:diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"><font color="#0000ff">diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org</font></span></i></a><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"><br><i><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Home email: </span></i></span></i><a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:blue;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt">diedre08@gmail.com</span></i></a></div>
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<span>“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”―Maya Angelou</span><span></span></h6><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";font-size:10pt"></span></div></div>
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