The following message is sent on behalf of American Library Association President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr.
Dear Council,
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) that just passed the House provides $200 million in funding for IMLS, with $178 million for LSTA, and billions more in library-eligible programs. This is the single largest increase in funding for the IMLS in the agency's 25-year history.
In addition, ARPA establishes a $7.172 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund through the FCC's E-rate program, which will reimburse eligible libraries for 100% of the costs of equipment necessary to provide off campus connectivity to patrons, including Wi-Fi hotspots, routers, laptops, and more. The final rules for the new program will be developed by the FCC within 60 days of passage, and ALA will provide input during this rule making process.
ALA will issue a press release shortly that includes links to a detailed analysis of provisions in ARPA that may apply to libraries. In the coming weeks, ALA will explore and provide guidance to chapters about opportunities for libraries of all kinds to leverage these resources and partner with other community organizations eligible for funding to meet common goals for communities.
It cannot be stressed enough that this wouldn't have happened if not for the unwavering, behind-the-scenes work of ALA's Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA) staff in Washington, D.C. I am personally thankful for the time, effort, and focused relationship building of Kathi Kromer and the entire PPA team. The result of their work demonstrates the value of ALA membership.
Now we need your help to spread this good news throughout the library community and thank your members of Congress for passing this historic legislation. We've prepared sample social media posts to share (see below my signature line).
For those of you who caught a glimpse of the 25-hour "vote-a-rama" that lasted through Saturday afternoon, you may have seen chatter from members of the Senate questioning the connection between libraries and COVID-19. It is no surprise to ALA and our membership base how libraries have been a lifeline for communities during the pandemic. ALA staff, with the help of our advocates, local library workers and library champion Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), gathered dozens of quantifiable examples of how libraries have stepped up and provided stability and essential resources during the pandemic. Over the weekend we worked together to quickly and strategically disperse these stories among the Senate and their staff to send a clear message about libraries' role in pandemic relief.
Inclusion in ARPA is a clear indication that many in Congress are taking note of libraries, but there is much more work to be done. PPA will use this momentum throughout the 117th Congress to reinforce the importance of libraries in every state and congressional district. We are exceptionally pleased to see that America's libraries will receive this long-awaited, and much deserved direct recovery funding. Thank you for helping us celebrate these gains for libraries.
Best,
Julius C. Jefferson Jr.
2020-2021 ALA President
PLEASE USE ONE OF THESE TWO SAMPLES FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA POST:
With the passage of the #AmericanRescuePlan, Congress has provided $200 million for library relief - critical funding to shore up our nation's libraries! @ALALibrary is proud to have helped champion this legislation to keep #LibrariesStrong.
FEDERAL LIBRARY RELIEF UPDATE: The #AmericanRescuePlan includes $200 million for library recovery, in addition to library broadband provisions and state/local/Tribal aid. Thank you @[Your Members of Congress] for keeping #LibrariesStrong!