America's Libraries Could Face Internet Access Cuts

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15 November 2004


Press Release  ALA
American Library Association President Carol Brey-Casiano released the
following statement, which calls on Congress to pass remedial language to 
resolve
E-rate accounting-requirement issues as soon as Congress convenes on November
16, 2004.

"E-rate discounts are essential for providing library service to students and
library users across America. Thanks in part to the E-rate program public
libraries are the number one access point to the Internet by those who 
don't have
Internet access at home, work or school. We fear that libraries throughout
the country may face Internet service cuts if accounting requirement issues 
are
not immediately resolved.

"Due to the lack of remedial language, the FCC has caused a freeze in E-rate
funding commitments for libraries and schools. Thousands of libraries are
waiting for E-rate commitment letters, and without E-rate funds service to
millions of library users is threatened. Library budgets cannot be 
finalized and
contracts cannot be completed without official E-rate commitment letters.


"The E-rate program is capped at $2.25 billion. While the demand for E-rate
discounts outweighs this cap, the discounts are relied upon by thousands of
libraries and schools, to meet the needs of our nation's students and library
users.

"Our poorest libraries are the least able to bridge the funding gap caused by
the freeze. Delays and confusions in distribution of E-rate commitments hurt
the poorest communities most - the users for which the E-rate was intended."

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