Alan Inouye's Public Policy and Advocacy Statement
/ALA’s Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Relations Alan Inouye has sent a list of updates with many items of interest to library ebook aficionados:
--> Action. Sign up for the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. It is easy to sign up. Be informed about what's happening to libraries and library workers in the book banning & censorship arenas. And take action if you can, with ALA.
https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/
--> Action. Congress is finalizing a budget (FY23) that includes dedicated library facilities funding for the first time in over 25 years! But the House hasn't yet signed on. Contact your Members of Congress:
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1570826094059859969
--> Action. Register your library for National Voter Registration Day, September 30.
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1568345028585734145
--> Upcoming. Webinar on the future of ebook legislation with panel comprising Briana McNamee, Michael Blackwell, Irene Padilla, Kyle Courtney, and Alan Inouye. Hosted by DPLA with COSLA & ReadersFirst.
https://twitter.com/dpla/status/1570769682038403078
AP News: "Book ban efforts surging in 2022, library association says."
https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2022/09/ala-releases-preliminary-data-2022-book-bans
Banned Books Week programming: There's a lot to see and do. Check it out.
Sen. Lujan and Rep. Matsui introduce the Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2022. Quote by ALA President Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada included in the Congressional release. This legislation would divert some revenue from FCC spectrum auctions to the funding of a digital equity foundation to provide grants to libraries and other eligible institutions. Currently, this revenue flows into the U.S. Treasury.
https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1570507146839863296
ALA releases highlights report of our Libraries Build Business initiative, which advances entrepreneurship and small business through libraries, especially for groups that are underrepresented in small business/entrepreneurship.
https://twitter.com/ALALibrary/status/1570136560632483840
Pew Stateline article "Librarians and Lawmakers Push for Greater Access to E-Books" includes key librarians around the country, as well as PPA's Alan Inouye
ALA congratulates Scott Matheson on his appointment as the Superintendent of Documents at the Government Publishing Office. In this role, he supervises the Federal Depository Library Program.
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1568235593842262016
ALA supports Congresswoman Nikema Williams' Home Internet Accessibility Act, legislation that would fund a comprehensive new plan to address nationwide broadband inaccessibility in federally assisted housing.
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1567962368004734978
ALA President-elect Emily Drabinski meets with ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C. She received two days of briefings on policy and advocacy.
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1570100923032272896
NEWS, ARTICLES, RESOURCES
Volunteer to serve on ALA committees (like the ones in the Public Policy & Advocacy Office). Deadline is September 30. Also need to request renewals for an additional term of service.
https://twitter.com/ALALibrary/status/1568231851109634048
National Book Foundation: ALA Executive Director Tracie Hall will receive the 2022 Literarian Award at the 73rd National Book Awards Ceremony.
https://twitter.com/nationalbook/status/1567518514788851712
Over the next year, IMLS will convene an interagency taskforce & facilitate the development of a portal of resources bridging information literacy research & practice to advance information literacy within communities.