ALA Washington Office
Washington DC 20009-2520
Phone : 202-628-8410
Toll Free Number: 1-800-941-8478
Fax : 202-628-8419
Save the Date
Library Advocacy DayFor one year only, Library Advocacy Day will replace National Library Legislative Day (NLLD). On June 29, 2010, library advocates from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. will meet at Upper Senate Park on the U.S. Capitol grounds. The event, which will begin at 11 a.m., will feature guest speakers, photo ops, and a chance to cheer on libraries! After the rally, participants will meet with their elected officials and their staffs.
Your NLLD coordinator will be running point for your state, so please get in touch with them if you plan to attend. To find out whom your NLLD coordinator is, please click here.
More detailsALA and Washington Office in the News
Profiling the American Library Association with Emily Sheketoff (WSRadio 11/06/09)
Emily Sheketoff, the executive director of the American Library Association’s Washington Office, explains why we need libraries now more than ever. Listen.
A
LA: House Committee Revives Protections in Patriot Act Renewal (Library Journal 11/06/2009)
While the American Library Association has expressed dismay that Senate Judiciary Committee did not reform the USA PATRIOT Act sufficiently, the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has passed the USA PATRIOT Amendments Act of 2009, praised by ALA and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Read More....
ARL, ALA Issue Statement Supporting PATRIOT Amendments Act of 2009 (Resource Shelf 11/05/09)
A coalition of 20 civil liberties organizations, including the Center
for Democracy & Technology (CDT), released a letter today endorsing
the USA Patriot Amendments Act (H.R. 3845) and pointing out the
failures of the Senate’s PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act (S. 1692). As
their names suggest, the Amendments Act proposes reforms to the
expiring sections of the USAPA, while the Extension Act pretty much
extends the USAPA provisions with very few promising changes. The next
review will be in 2013. Read More....
Civil Lib Groups Endorse H.R. 3845, American Lib Assoc. Issues Action Alert (Banned Librarian 10/29/09)
A coalition of 20 civil liberties organizations, including the Center
for Democracy & Technology (CDT), released a letter today endorsing
the USA Patriot Amendments Act (H.R. 3845) and pointing out the
failures of the Senate’s PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act (S. 1692). As
their names suggest, the Amendments Act proposes reforms to the
expiring sections of the USAPA, while the Extension Act pretty much
extends the USAPA provisions with very few promising changes. The next
review will be in 2013. Read More....
ALA: House takes lead with strong surveillance reform bills (ResourceShelf 10/22/09)
The
USA Patriot Amendments Act of 2009 (H.R. 3845) and the FISA Amendments
Act of 2009 (H.R. 3846), introduced into the House of Representatives
Tuesday, would together systematically reform our national surveillance
laws. Read More....
As Congress Prepares to Reauthorize the Patriot Act, Reader Privacy Must be Protected (Huffington Post 10/20/09)
While
I love to talk books with friends and colleagues, reading for me is a
private and personal matter. Government agents secretly privy to what I
read might be a fact of life in a dictatorship but it isn't anything I
need to worry about in this country. We have a First Amendment that
entitles us to read and think freely. Right? Read More....
The
American Library Association does not see the same "balance" that The
Post does in endorsing the Senate Judiciary Committee's "high-wire act"
on the Patriot Act [editorial, Oct. 13]. (Washington Post 10/18/09)
The
Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department should have used this
opportunity to broaden the debate on Patriot Act reforms. While modest
tweaks were made, the committee rejected substantive and systematic
reform to prevent the unwarranted surveillance, collection and
retention of the personal information of millions of innocent Americans.
Our association's principles are built upon the constitutional right to privacy and the freedom to read. The minimal "fix" to Section 215 for library circulation records does not address readers' Internet usage at libraries, nor does it raise the legal standards to obtain national security letters. We know that reform is needed because the Justice Department's inspector general has reported numerous abuses. Read More....
Congress Takes Up SKILLs Act, Again (School Library Journal 11/02/2009)
The SKILLs Act is back as an independent stand-alone bill—not as it was originally introduced in 2007 as a part of the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). But now that there’s a new administration in the White House and NCLB will be replaced by the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the American Library Association believes the issue of school librarians should be addressed under ESEA. Read More....
Appointments: Associations/Nonprofits (The Washington Post 11/02/2009)
The American Library Association of the District named Jeff Kratz, a former staff member for the House Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies, assistant director for the office for government relations. Read More....
School Librarians Weigh in on Net Neutrality (School Library Journal 10/26/09)
With the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) decision last week to consider how to protect—and regulate—the free nature of the Internet, the battle over Net neutrality went into high gear, and librarians, of course, were in the mix. Read More....
ALA on Proposed Net Neutrality Rules (ResourceShelf 10/24/09)
The American Library Association (ALA) strongly supports Chairman Julius Genachowski’s efforts to move the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) forward in consideration of principles to protect the free and open nature of the Internet. Read More....
Major U.S. Consumer Groups Support FCC Action on Net Neutrality (FreePress 10/21/09)
28 major U.S. consumer and public interest groups, including Free Press, signed on today to a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chair Julius Genachowski in support of stronger Net Neutrality rules. The FCC is releasing proposed new rules at a meeting on Thursday. Read More....
Initiatives & projects
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)On August 26, 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Council (CPSC) released its final rule on children’s products containing lead. In the rule, the CPSC confirmed that libraries have no independent obligation to test library books for lead under the law. The CPSC also announced its intention to release a Statement of Policy specifically providing guidance for libraries with regard to the treatment of older children’s books that could potentially contain lead. According to our conversations with CPSC officials, that Statement of Policy should be released this fall. Read more....
Popular resources
Libraries: The Place of Opportunity (pdf)Ensuring that librarians deliver quality library services to the public impacts many issues. For this reason, the ALA Washington Office offers this helpful guide to highlight these issues for non-librarian audiences. In "Libraries: The Place of Opportunity," you'll find out which issues concern libraries most and how those issues impact the public. This resource also includes information on how library users can join our efforts to build coalitions and promote the role libraries play in our communities.
Legislative ScorecardThe Legislative Scorecard outlines votes and support of legislation that is important to and has an impact on the library community. We hope you will use this scorecard as a tool to gauge your elected official's support of library related legislation.
State Library StatisticsThe ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP), in partnership with the Information Institute at Florida State University, has developed a new tool for library advocates: the State Statistics Module.
This interactive website contains copious information about broadband connectivity in libraries and allows for the creation of customized reports, based upon 11 variables from the "2006 Public Libraries and the Internet Study." Users have the opportunity to create tables and charts of data at the national and state levels and create comparisons of the data. Users also have the ability to write descriptions of the graphs and tables, as well as an introduction and conclusion to their report.
Mission
The American Library Association's Washington Office was established in 1945 to represent libraries on Capitol Hill, and now consists of the Office of Government Relations (OGR) and the Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP).Responsibilities
The ALA Washington Office provides executive leadership and administrative support to OGR and OITP, in addition to conducting media outreach and public relations efforts. The Washington Office also builds coalitions and partnerships with Washington-based representatives of other groups with interests similar to the library community.Staff
Emily Sheketoff - Executive Director
Email: esheketoff@alawash.org
Office of Government Relations (OGR)
Lynne Bradley - Director
Email: lbradley@alawash.org
Email: jkratz@alawash.org
Don Essex - Legislative Information Specialist
Email: dessex@alawash.org
Corey Williams - Associate Director
Email: cwilliams@alawash.org
Jessica McGilvray - Assistant Director
Email: jmcgilvray@alawash.org
Kristin K. Murphy - Government Relations Specialist
Email:kmurphy@alawash.org
Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP)
Alan S. Inouye - Director
Email:ainouye@alawash.org
Carrie Russell - Director, Program on Public Access to Information
Email: crussell@alawash.org
Carrie Lowe - Director, Program on Networks
Email: clowe@alawash.org
Kathy Mitchell - Project Coordinator
Email: kmitchell@alawash.org
Timothy Vollmer - Information Technology Policy Analyst
Email: tvollmer@alawash.org
Marijke Visser - Information Technology Policy Analyst
Email: mvisser@alawash.org
Communications & Media
Jenni Terry - Press OfficerEmail: jterry@alawash.org
Jacob Roberts - Communications Specialist
Email: jroberts@alawash.org
Administration
Pat May - Director, Administration Email: pmay@alawash.org
Rosalind Reynolds - Assistant Director, Administration
Email: rreynolds@alawash.org
Latest Posts from the District Dispatch
- Rep. Ehlers brings libraries to forefront of discussion during literacy hearing
- District Dispatch is undergoing some changes
- ALA Washington Office submits testimony to House Education Committee on libraries’ role in improving literacy
- ALA Washington Office seeks nominations for 2009 Madison awards
- Apply for 2010 Google Policy Fellowship with ALA Washington Office
Legislative Action Center (LAC)
Washington Office News
- ALA: Rep. Ehlers continues to be a strong voice for America’s libraries
- ALA Washington Office submits testimony to House Education Committee on libraries’ role in improving literacy
- ALA Washington Office seeks nominations for 2009 Madison awards
- House Re-introduces SKILLs ACT emphasizing role of school librarians
- ALA seeks nominations for 2010 L. Ray Patterson Copyright Award
- ALA: FCC’s consideration of net neutrality principles key to preserving free Internet
Issues & Advocacy: How to Get Involved
Libraries and the PATRIOT Act
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