Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 15:54:41 -0500
From: Steven Hofmann <shofmann@ALA.ORG>
Subject: Urgent--Support Government Publications Reform Bill

American Library Association
LIBRARY ADVOCACY ALERT
September 9, 1998

Please share with others.

SUPPORT GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS REFORM BILL
S 2288, the Wendell H. Ford Government Publications Reform Act of
1998, is scheduled for Committee action on Thursday, September 10.
Strong grassroots action is needed from the library community to  urge
Senators to support S. 2288. The bill faces serious opposition from a
number of groups.  The bill includes much-needed reforms to improve and
enhance public access to government information.

ACTION NEEDED
Contact your Senators today and urge them to cosponsor S. 2288.
Immediate action is especially important if your Senator is a member of the
Committee on Rules and Administration.  An easy way to contact
Senators is through the ALA Washington Office Legislative Action Center
at http://congress.nw.dc.us/ala/.REASONS TO SUPPORT S. 2288.

The MESSAGE
In a fax or phone call, explain to your Senator that:
- S. 2288 supports good government and an informed citizenry by
improving public access to government information.
- S. 2288 will resolve the "fugitive documents" problem and stop the
erosion of public access to government publications taking place under
the current system.  The bill will ensure that the public has access to
government information paid for at taxpayer expense.
-S. 2288 will ensure that electronic government publications are
preserved and permanently available for current and future users.  This
will address the current loss of government information taking place on a
daily basis as agencies delete files from their Web sites without first
providing for ongoing access.

BACKGROUND
S. 2288, the Wendell H. Ford Government Publications Reform Act of
1998, was introduced on July 10, 1998, by Sens. John Warner (R-VA)
and Wendell Ford (D-KY). The bill would strengthen the Federal
Depository Library Program and improve and enhance public access to
government publications from all three branches of government
regardless of format. The library community, through the representatives
of the Inter-Association Working Group on Government Information Policy
(IAWG), has had a significant role in the development of S. 2288.S. 2288
is designed to close the loopholes currently in place that inhibit public
access to government publications.

One of the main objectives of the bill is to ensure that all appropriate
material is available to the public through depository libraries.  However,
opposition to S. 2288 has been raised by private sector industry groups
whose members include companies that sell duplicating equipment to
federal agencies.  Private publishers who have developed partnership
arrangements with federal agencies for the sale or privatization of
government information also are opposed to the bill.

For more information about S. 2288, including sample letters, talking
points, and additional background information, please consult the Web site
of the Inter-Association Working Group on Government Information Policy
(IAWG) at: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/IAWG.

CONTACT
Anne Heanue
ALA Washington Office
800-941-8478
alawash@alawash

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posted by:
Steven Hofmann
Coordinator of Communications
American Association of School Librarians
a division of the American Library Association
50 E. Huron
Chicago, IL 60611-2795
800-545-2433 Ext. 4389
Fax:  312-664-7459
E-mail:  shofmann@ala.org
WWW:  http://www.ala.org/aasl

The mission of AASL is to advocate excellence, facilitate change, and
develop leaders in the school library media field.