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Know Your Stimulus

7.2 Billion for Broadband

There are tremendous opportunities for libraries to benefit from the broadband provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). We know there is tremendous excitement – and a fair amount of anxiety – in the library community about how libraries can benefit from the various competitive broadband grant programs.  The immediate challenge is the need for information about these broadband programs.  

We know that the ARRA authorized $7.2 billion for broadband programs – including $4.5 billion designated for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and $2.5 billion for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).  Unfortunately, the ARRA only goes so far in answering our questions about the programs and the application processes that will be implemented by NTIA in the Department of Commerce and by the RUS programs in the Department of Agriculture.

We know that these agencies are working hard to organize their programs, essentially starting from scratch.  In the case of NTIA, the old “TOPS” program (the Telecommunications Opportunity Program) has not existed in a number of years. Few staff remain at NTIA that administered the original program.  Though former Washington State governor Gary Locke has been nominated to be Secretary of Commerce, he is not yet confirmed.  Nor is there yet a nominee to head NTIA.    

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is in place as Secretary of Agriculture.  While the RUS has key staff in place to administer its existing programs, it is still a huge challenge to gear up to administer this new funding.  To date, there is no information on guidelines or application processes for the various “pots” of broadband money, including the no less than $200 million set aside for community computing centers, including public libraries and community colleges.

Also, the ARRA broadband programs are inherently different from the state-directed funds going to the governors and other state or local agencies that benefit public and school libraries.

Completing the ARRA was a long and arduous process for the Obama administration and the new Congress. Now that President Obama has signed the bill into law, our nation can begin the journey of restoring our economic stability through the programs and initiatives this law will make possible.

Throughout the process of creating this law, the library community demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the American public by working to inform our leaders in Washington about the programs and services libraries across the country are providing to help America get back to work, such as assistance with resume building and online job searching as well as free classes to teach the public 21st century job skills.

With many opportunities available to libraries through the stimulus bill, the library community must continue our efforts to educate our elected officials on the benefits of investing in libraries – focusing now on the state level. 

Implementing the law will no doubt be as complex a process as creating it, and for this reason the ALA Washington Office has created this page as a one-stop source with resources on how to make sure libraries benefit from the package and the most up-to-date information on the stimulus. As information becomes available, the ALA Washington Office will post updates on this page with details, such as how funding will be distributed and how to apply.

The ALA Washington Office has created a short overview screencast detailing potential areas for library funding available in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Check it out below!