1. State Funding: Senate Finance Committee!

Texline 303, March 12, 2015

Table of Contents

1. State Funding : Senate Finance Committee ! 2. Federal Funding 3. Contacting State Legislators 4. Who Represents Me? 5. Senate Finance Committee Members 6. More on Contacting Elected Officials 7. Legislative Preconference

STATE FUNDING: Senate Finance Committee

The Senate Finance Committee will soon decide on funding levels for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). The Committee’s Article I workgroup, consisting of Senators Joan Huffman (chair), Juan Hinojosa, Lois Kolkhorst, Kelly Hancock, and John Whitmire are tasked with making recommendations for this area of the budget (which includes TSLAC).

We need library supporters to take ACTION TODAY and email their senator, especially if they serve the Article I workgroup (named above) or the Finance Committee in general (see list at the left). Even if your senator does not serve on the Finance Committee, he or she can be a champion for libraries by asking colleagues on the Committee to fund library programs.

Here is our message:

We ask the Finance Committee to fund fully the budget and exceptional items requests of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (Article I), especially the following two library initiatives that benefit communities all across the state!

Shared Digital Content: $6.4 million to build digital educational collections. Through TexShare (for public and college library users) & TexQuest (for K-12 public schools), libraries support education and economic development through shared digital content.

Funds for Libraries in Support of Workforce and Economic Development: $550,000 to train and help equip libraries of all types to support the Texas workforce. Libraries provide a central path for meeting the state’s priorities of establishing educational opportunities, creating a favorable environment for business, and increasing literacy.

Note: Even if ALL of the State Library’s exceptional items are funded, the agency would still be 18% BELOW its funding level prior to 2011!! Support libraries by continuing to rebuild library

Texline 303 (March 12, 2015) 1 | P a g e services this session!

RESOURCES  A one-page handout on TLA’s Budget Priorities  A one-page handout on the funding request for Shared Digital Content (TexShare and TexQuest)  A one-page on the funding request for Workforce Development Training for Libraries  Click on TLA’s Advocate! site for links to legislator look-up tools and other resources.  See TLA’s advocacy page for additional information on contacting legislators: http://www.txla.org/advocacy-how-to

FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: FEDERAL FUNDING OF LSTA AND IAL

Congress’ process for funding programs is in full swing and millions in federal funding for libraries hang in the balance. There’s never enough money to go around, and Members are always looking for programs to "zero out" so they can reallocate those budgets to their pet projects. Right now, the real keys to saving library funding from the chopping block – particularly the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) programs — are the members of the powerful House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Your Representative in the House and two Senators have influence with those Committee members, so it’s important that your Members let the Appropriations Committee know of their support for continued library funding.

The best way for them to do that is to sign what we call "Dear Appropriator" letters that three Members of Congress who are huge library champions have drafted to the members of the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate. The more Members of Congress that we can get to sign these "Dear Appropriator" letters, the better the chance of preserving and securing real money for libraries.

But there’s a catch – Members of Congress generally only add their names to "Dear Appropriator" letters if they hear from their own constituents. Right now, it’s your Representative in the House who needs to sign LSTA and IAL "Dear Appropriator" letters.

With the March 20 deadline for signatures fast approaching, it’s urgent that you email or phone your own Representative today by calling (202) 225-3121, asking the Operator to connect you to your Representative’s office (you can find out who that is easily here) and ask the person who answers to ask their boss to add their name to "Dear Appropriator" letters supporting LSTA and IAL currently being circulated by our champions in Congress. To see whether your Members of Congress signed the letters last year, view the FY 2015 Funding Letter Signees document (pdf). If so, please be sure to thank and remind them of that when you email or call!

We’ll be back to you in a few days to ask that you do the same with your two Senators, but right now it’s all hands on deck for the House push. Background material can be found on District Dispatch. Click the links below to call or email your Representative.

Call Your Representative Send an Email

Texline 303 (March 12, 2015) 2 | P a g e Note: these letters are due before the end of the month so you will need to call or email this week.

Contacting State Legislators

WHO REPRESENTS ME? Click on the button below. You can find your state senator, representative, and State Board of Education member.

For the most accurate data, include your full 9-digit zip code.

More on Contacting Elected Officials

1) If you are calling the office:  Ask to speak to the staff person working on Appropriations or Finance (Senate).  When you get that person, introduce yourself, tell them you are a constituent, and tell them you are calling to ask for the legislator’s support of library funding.  Tell them you are contacting them to discuss the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s budget, which is in Article 1. You want them to support two key library requests: 1) Shared Digital Content (TexShare and TexQuest) and 2) funding for library workforce training.  You can use the talking points provided here as you cover these issues briefly with the staffer.  Ask if s/he has any questions and thank them. It’s that easy!

Taking the Capitol by Storm: Libraries, Legislation, and Leadership (Ticketed) 9 am - 5pm, Tuesday, April 14

With the 84th Legislature in full swing, join colleagues and experts as you study key library issues and become an articulate and knowledgeable advocate with decision-makers. The first half of the preconference is an intensive training and skill-building workshop.

The second half is an afternoon of actual visits with legislative offices coordinated through TLA. Participants will earn a badge of honor to wear throughout conference. Lunch will be provided.

Thank you for your support and passion for libraries. Texas libraries need your voice!

Texline 303 (March 12, 2015) 3 | P a g e We also offer our thanks to Gale Cengage Learning, EBSCO Information Services, and LearningExpress, LLC. for their support of library advocacy.

Texline is produced by the Texas Library Association. It is published as needed to provide information on state and other policy matters related to libraries. For additional information, send an email to Gloria Meraz, Director of Communications, [email protected].

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