“Freedom is found through the portals of our nation’s libraries.” - David McCullough, Speech at the Library of Congress about his book on John Adams, aired on C-Span, June 10, 2001.

Americans go to school, public and academic libraries more than three times as frequently as they go to the movies.

There are more public libraries than Starbucks in the U.S.total of 17,566 including branches. 

Nearly 100% of public libraries provide WiFi and have no-fee access to computers. 

In 2013, there were 1.5 billion in-person visits to public libraries across the U.S., the equivalent of more than 4 million visits each day. That’s 2,854 per minute.

Credit: Quotable Facts About America's Libraries - ALA

Public, school and Academic Libraries are essential to the health of democracy.

Ask your librarian how to find any topic that interests you - they will find it for you and help you find even more.

Click on these images for bullet points in free PDF format:

in English

and Spanish.

For more info, click on this image:

More info at this link: 

Working full out finishing up our Program for the American Library Association Annual Convention (ALAAC18) in New Orleans - Saturday, 23 June.

Interested? Register Now | ALA Annual 2018

from @ALALibrary tweet

Information about issues we will be advocating for are available in two briefing documents - Appropriation Brief and the Broadband Brief.

Advocacy really DOES makes a difference! Here's the link to the ALA Page.

We are thrilled to report that we will be presenting our program Communicate Effectively with Your Library Building Design Professionals – Achieve the Library You Need in June at ALA18 in New Orleans.

Whether you are preparing the ground work for an addition or new library building project, our program will help you clarify and document the needs of your community users and library staff so that you can direct your designer to provide you with the library design you need.

The Schedule of Sessions will be announced 8 November, 2017. Follow ALA Annual on Twitter #alaac18

We will be posting to our social media sites throughout the NOLA convention. PLAN22 Archibrarians on Linkedin  |   PLAN22Archibrians on Tumblr  | PLAN22 (plan22) on Pinterest  | @2PLAN22 on Twitter  | plan22archibrarians on Instagram  |  PLAN22 Archibrarians on Wordpress

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

ScrnGrb | ALA Email

The following text is taken directly from today's Email from [email protected]

It bears repeating.

In 2016, libraries requested more than $50 million for C2 through the E-rate program

At the end of September (2017),

the FCC launched a Public Notice asking for input about Category 2 (C2) funding.

Specifically, they want to know whether libraries are using their allotted budgets and if it meets their needs. While we know there are many reasons why libraries do or do not request funding for C2, what we want to make crystal clear to the FCC is that having funds available is critical for libraries, ensuring they can maintain and upgrade their WiFi connectivity.

The deadline to submit comments is October 23, 2017 and we're calling on you to tell the FCC libraries need secure funding for E-rate.

Tell the FCC how much your patrons depend on the library to connect.

How to submit a comment:

• Format your response as a PDF document. Don't forget to use your library's letterhead!
• Go to https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings
• For the Proceeding Number, enter the following proceeding numbers: 13-184
• Complete the rest of the information on the form.
• Upload your comments at the bottom of the form.

• Not sure what to write? Use this template (pdf) to tell the FCC how your patrons depend on the library to connect to the internet. We encourage you to edit the template to add specifics that are important to your library and your community. Does your library offer special programs that depend in WiFi? Do you know a patron comes in to use your WiFi to look for jobs or have you seen a student doing homework on a tablet? These stories and examples are critical for the FCC to know about!

  For more information about the E-rate program, visit the FCC website or District Dispatch.

This is straight out of the press release from District Dispatch, @ALALibrary Blog:

"This morning, President Trump released his budget proposal (now in 2021 - taken down from the WH Site and replaced with a ridiculously titled report: A New Foundation For American GreatnessFiscal Year 2018, that I will not bother to reference now - ('old news' and all.) The Institute of Museum of Library Services (IMLS) is included in the list of independent agencies whose budgets the proposal recommends eliminating. Library funding that comes through other sources such as the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and the National Endowment for the Humanities is also affected. Just how deeply overall federal library funding is impacted is unclear at this point. The Washington Office is working closely with our contacts in the federal government to gather detailed information. We will provide the analysis of the total impact when it is complete and as quickly as possible.

One thing we all know for certain: Real people will be impacted if these budget proposals are carried through.

While we are deeply concerned about the president’s budget proposal, it is not a done deal. As I said in a statement issued this morning,

'The American Library Association will mobilize its members, congressional library champions and the millions upon millions of people we serve in every zip code to keep those ill-advised proposed cuts from becoming a congressional reality.'

There are several actions we can take right now:

1. Call your Members of Congress  – ask them to publicly oppose wiping out IMLS, and ask them to commit to fighting for federal library funding. (You can find talking points and an email template on the Action Center.)
2. Share your library’s IMLS story using the #SaveIMLS tag – tell us how IMLS funding supports your local community. If you aren’t sure which IMLS grants your library as received, you can check the searchable database available on the IMLS website.
3. Sign up to receive our action alerts – we will let you know when and how to take action, and send you talking points and background information.
4. Register to participate in National Library Legislative Day on May 1-2, either in Washington, D.C., or online.

Timing is key to the Federal budget/appropriations process. More information – along with talking points and scripts – will be forthcoming from the ALA Washington Office, particularly as it pertains to the upcoming advocacy campaign around “Dear Appropriator” letters. Meanwhile, please take the time to subscribe to action alerts and District Dispatch to ensure you receive the latest updates on the budget process.

The president’s budget has made clear that his funding agenda is not ours. It’s time for library professionals and supporters to make our priorities clear to Congress."

Thank you ALA for all you do.

Stand up New Yorkers! National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) is fast approaching and we have work to do. Our voices count.

NLLD is an opportunity for us to learn more about the Administration and its policy related to support for the Library Services and Technology Act ( LSTA), intellectual freedom, privacy, copyright, net neutrality and many other issues that are important to librarians, library users and the general public.

Registration for National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) is open.You can find out more about NLLD by clicking here. For information about the schedule of events click here.

NLLD Briefings take place at The Liaison, you can register here. Here is a link to hotels that are either in Washington DC or in nearby Virginia with ready access to the Metro which comes into Union Station, not far from The Liaison and the legislative office buildings.

As a result of the changes in the Administration, many of the legislative issues are still unknown, however, based on President Trump's Executive Budget, released earlier this week, we know that he has eliminated funding for the IMLS Institute of Museum and Library Services. This is the only federal funding for America's libraries and is critical to New York State. Funding from IMLS  supports the NOVELny program, which makes databases available to all New Yorkers. In addition, IMLS funding supports the operation of the Division of Library Development (DLD). We also have indications that the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ajit Pai intends to end support for net neutrality. Net neutrality is the principle that all Internet traffic should be treated equally.

Start taking a carving knife to library funding. 

See what happens.

This link will take you to the whole article by Andrew Albanese http://bit.ly/2nx84Js

American Library Association called Trump's proposal to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services in his FY2018 budget (effectively ending all federal funding for libraries of all kinds) "counterproductive and short-sighted," and  vowed to fight the measure.

This is the link to the ALA Statement:
"President’s budget proposal to eliminate federal library funding 'counterproductive and short-sighted' " http://bit.ly/2myenM5

In a press release sent out yesterday the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) announced a resolution adopted on January 24th by the American Library Association (ALA) Council. The resolution prepared by the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) - Resolution on Access to Accurate Information - addresses the "problems of fake news, personalized news-feeds, web search algorithms and the delay of Freedom of Information Act requests." 

The Resolution outlines the role of librarians and library workers in helping to raise awareness of these issues and "supports the critical role of librarians and library works in all types of libraries in teaching information literacy skills that enable users to locate information and evaluate its accuracy."

Credits :Photo screen shots: video this article.

TEN WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR LIBRARY and enrich the lives of our young citizens...

1. Get a library card. Sign up your children for library cards.
2. Write to your local paper about your library and how it helps your family; use an example linked to this article.
3. ‎Donate to YALSA.
4. ‎Distribute free teen reading resources found in this article.
5. ‎Share the info found in this article with your local politicians.
6. Compare‎ your library's Teen Programs with National Standards using info in this article and share with your library and elected officials.
7. Be part of the movement to support your future : Volunteer‎ at Your Library
8. Host a fund raiser: ideas in article. 
9. Become part of your Library Support Group.
10. This May, go with your community and library supporters to Library Legislative Day. Libraries organize busses to take you to Washington to visit Federal Legislators offices to speak to their staff, to show how important libraries are in this country.

Be seen. Be heard.


There are links to documents, sites and details about all these topics in the following article. Click on a couple and see‎ which one inspires you or your children and teens to Take Action for Your Library !

Be sure to take a moment to view the touching and well produced video at the end.
‎

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/support-libraries-and-teen-literacy

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We had the chance to check out this amazing space and concept in San Fransisco today.

 .

"Noisebridge is a physical space open and welcoming to all, providing infrastructure and collaboration opportunities for anyone interested in programming, hardware, crafts, science, food, robotics, art, and technology. We teach, we learn, we share. With no leaders, we have one rule: 'Be excellent to each other'."

at Noisebridge today

Washington DC is a beautiful place to be at the beginning of May.

Especially if you appreciate how important libraries are in your life in America.

It is so easy for your Legislators to 'get on board' with the idea of The Library; to tell you that 'of course' they will 'support your library'. But are they? Do they support legislation to actually fund your libraries? Do you see proof of their words in their actions?

Come to Washington. Join the American Library Association. Show your legislators how important your library is in your life.

www.washington.org

Join your library supporters at ALA National Library Legislative Day #NLLD

screen shot

It is essential to tell the truth about how your library is important to your community. Tell it like it is, to everyone, over and over, in thousands of ways. They will hear you.http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/content/survey-analysis-results

Quote from the article:

"Research from the Public Library Funding & Technology,¹Opportunity for All,² and Pew Internet³ studies show that libraries are vital digital hubs that provide access to public access technologies and digital content, and that millions of people rely on the public access technologies and services provided by public libraries. When taken together, these studies also show that success in an increasingly digital social and economic context requires a comprehensive approach to creating digital inclusion so as to ensure that there is opportunity for all communities and individuals regardless of geographic location, socio-economic status, or other demographic factors."

"Based on a national survey conducted in Fall 2013, our analysis provides insights into how public libraries help build digitally inclusive communities."

"Our map is now nationwide!

Created in partnership with Community Attributes Inc. as part of the Digital Inclusion Survey, our data visualization tool maps all public libraries using the FY2011 Public Library Survey data file released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for library locations. The tool overlays Census data (demographic, economic, health, and education) from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year dataset (2007-2011). The map also includes selected Digital Inclusion Survey data from participating libraries, thus showing the roles that libraries play regarding digital inclusion in their communities.

Want your library's Digital Inclusion data on the map? Participate in the 2014 survey, set to launch in September 2014."

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#NLLD14 Washington DC. You won't find this on Sen. Leahy's web site for some reason...

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) accepted the 2014 Public Service Award, given by United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), on May 5 during National Library Legislative Day activities in Washington, D.C. He was introduced by Vermont State Librarian Martha Reid.

The Public Service Award, United for Libraries’ highest honor for legislators who support library issues, is being given for Leahy’s introduction of S. 1599, the USA FREEDOM Act, a companion bill to H.R. 3361 (also the USA FREEDOM Act). H.R. 3361 was introduced by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who also received the Public Service Award.

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