Working the Hill — Library Legislative Advocacy
I just arrived home last night from a day on the Washington D.C. hill. It was great meeting with other Colorado delegates and visiting the offices of our various Colorado legislators. Although we met with various staff members, these trips are well worth the trouble. Here are some highlights…..
We were really pushing for LSTA funding that includes improving literacy through school libraries and asking each legislator to sign on to the letter from several of their fellow congressmen in support of the additional appropriation for LSTA. What was interesting is that several of the legislators’ staff members thought that we were asking for earmarks. And, the mood has definitely changed on the Hill. Earmarks are “out!” We explained that the LSTA request dealt with part of the appropriations bill and was not a request for earmarks — that is, it was additional funds to be added to the appropriations bill. Our delegation couldn’t figure out why they didn’t “get it.” All I can figure out is that, in this new administration, there is a big backlash against earmarks. Boy, I’d like to take bets to see how long that philosophy lasts! 
Because we didn’t seem to get the point across (and because I think sometimes staff think that the constituents really don’t know what we are talking about….), we asked the ALA Washington Office to contact both staff members of the two offices to explain to them clearly that the LSTA funds we were asking for were definitely now earmarks. Sometimes it takes one Washingtonian talking to the other to get the point across. At the time of this posting, Senator Mark Udall agreed to sign onto the letter.
We also spoke about the reauthorization of the Patriot Act and asked for reform to Section 218. This was the section that ALA and other associations took issue with. We explained that we support national security and terrorist prevention but that we believed there had to be a balance between that and our user’s right to privacy and First Amendment rights. That is, that any request to search library records should first go through some kind of judicial review(search warrant) and that the person whose information was requested should also be informed of this request. These checks and balances are necessary to make sure that our users’ constitutional rights are not violated. Stay tune on that issue…..
Additionally, we spoke against H.R. 801 which is a bill that would amend copyright law and disallow the National Institute of Health (NIH) from providing access over the Internet after a 12-month embargo to NIH research supported by our tax dollars . This research is critical to medical professionals and hospital staff in small towns and rural areas who do not have access to medical libraries/librarians who can find the information for them. Access to this research at one’s fingertips equalizes this access between the haves and the have nots.
These are just some highlights of what we shared with our legislators and their staff. Even though there are different interests who visit this offices on a daily basis while Congress is in session, I appreciate the fact that librarians also are active advocates and sit at the table (or stand in the hallways) with these folks. They remember us (librarians) from year to year.
Advocacy should not be underestimated and establishing a relationship with our legislators and their staff is an important part of what ALA members should be doing whether in person or virtually. Get engaged in advocacy next legislative session. The ALA Washington Office through its District Dispatch
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/
is always sending notices to contact your legislators and provide you with the information you need to share with your legislators. Sign up for the Dispatch, please. You do not have to take the trip to “the Hill” to do this!
Tags: copyright law, earmarks, First Amendment rights, intellectual freedom, library advocacy
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