ALAWON v4n61 (June 24, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n61

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                                                             ISSN 1069-7799
                                  ALAWON
                      ALA Washington Office Newsline
                     An electronic publication of the
              American Library Association Washington Office

                            Volume 4, Number 61
                               June 24, 1995

   In this issue: (150 lines)
     HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SLASHES FUNDS FOR DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES -
          ACTION NEEDED
     HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE POSTPONES MARKUP ON INTERIOR BUDGET

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      HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SLASHES FUNDS FOR DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES

On June 22, the House of Representatives agreed to a major policy change in
the way the American public obtains government information produced at
taxpayer expense.  In passing H.R. 1854, the Legislative Branch
Appropriations for FY96 (H.Rept.104-141), the House voted to slash in half
the appropriation that funds the Depository Library Program--from $32
million to $16 million (see June 22 Congressional Record, pp. H6217-22,
H6225-6).  This appropriation supports the production and distribution of
paper, microfiche and electronic publications to depositories, the nearly
1,400 Congressionally designated libraries that provide no-fee public
access to government information.

In a major change to current policy, mandated in law for more than a
century, the House would shift to the publishing agencies the cost of
printing, binding, and distributing to depository libraries government
information in paper and microfiche formats.  To make this change in the
funding mechanism legal, H.R. 1854 amends the statute governing the
Depository Library Program, a procedure not appropriate on an
appropriations bill.  While intended to encourage agencies to publish
electronically, this slash in the appropriation will more likely result in
a great reduction in the number of printed documents made available to the
public.

A floor amendment Representative William Orton (D-UT) offered to restore $7
million of the cuts in the Federal Depository Library Program was defeated
104 to 321.  Orton said:  "This reduction in funding is a disincentive for
Government agencies to participate in the Federal Depository Library
Program.  This will result in a drastic reduction in the number of printed
documents produced by the agencies, and will ultimately hinder free public
access to Government information.  Also, these deep cuts will result in new
costs to depository libraries, as more time and effort will have to be
expended to locate and acquire Government agency products."

Orton entered into the Congressional Record a letter from ALA President
Curley supporting his amendment, and a letter of support from the
Association of Research Libraries and the American Association of Law
Libraries.

Representative Major Owens (D-NY), pointing out that H.R. 1854 mandates a
massive shift from print to electronic dissemination of information, said:

...information must be produced not only in electronic formats, but also in
traditional print formats, in order to accommodate the wide range of the
majority of our people's needs and abilities.  Many citizens are not yet
ready to use Government information in an electronic format.

In opposition, Representative Bill Thomas (R-CA) said:

The concept driving this amendment is truly circa 1854.  No one is talking
about cutting off depository libraries from getting information.  In fact,
we want to promote it.  What we do not want to encourage is a central paper
printing process which then produces a bulk paper product, which is then
shipped across country and then made available at a depository
library....If taxpayers want a hard copy at the depository library, the
library will produce it there.

H.R. 1854 also eliminates the funding for constituent copies and by-law
distribution of the Congressional Record, and the free distribution of
copies of bills, reports and other documents to non-Congressional
recipients (other than to  federal depository libraries).  Many of the
constituent copies of the Congressional Record go to small public
libraries, schools and hospitals which will not be able to afford a print
subscription to the Record and which do not have appropriate equipment to
access the Record electronically.

Members of the Senate will consider H.R. 1854 soon, probably within the
next two weeks and will be under strong constraints to approve the cuts
made in the House.  They need to hear from librarians, library trustees,
mayors, heads of chambers of commerce, business owners, and other members
of the public about the potential loss of public access to government
information.

ACTION NEEDED:  1)  Contact the Senate Appropriations Legislative Branch
Subcommittee asking them to restore funds cut by the House of
Representatives from the Superintendent of Documents Salaries and Expenses
appropriation for FY 96, providing the $30.3 million requested by the
Public Printer.  Urge the Senators to refuse to restructure the Depository
Library Program through the appropriations process, and to restore a
reasonable number of constituent copies of congressional publications.

IF YOUR SENATORS ARE LISTED BELOW, YOUR ASSISTANCE IS ESPECIALLY NEEDED:
Connie Mack (R-FL), chair; Robert Bennett (R-UT); Jim Jeffords (R-VT);
Patty Murray (D-WA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).

2)  If your Senator is on the full Appropriations Committee chaired by
Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR), ask them to urge their colleagues to take the
actions described above on your behalf.

3)  During the July 4th home district period, invite your Senators to visit
your depository library.  Show them how people use information in a variety
of formats, and the costs and constraints involved in making the transition
to electronic dissemination and retrieval of government information.  Tell
what would be involved for your library to assume the government's
responsibility to produce hard copies of government publications for the
public.

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    HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE POSTPONES MARKUP ON INTERIOR BUDGET

The House Appropriations Committee has now postponed the markup of the
Interior Department appropriations bill which includes funding for the
Institute for Museum Services as well as the National Endowment for the
Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.  It had been scheduled
for June 22.  ALAWON will report additional information as available.

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ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library
Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC
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Fax: 202-547-7363.  Contributing to this issue:  Claudette W. Tennant;
Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org).

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