ALA Report to Obama-Biden Transition Team: Libraries' Role in Changing America

Following internal meetings to discuss the key issues and concerns that libraries must communicate to the new Administration, the American Library Association submitted a report to the Obama-Biden Transition Team entitled "Opening the 'Window to a Larger World': Libraries' Role in Changing America."

The report states that

"during this time of transition for our nation, libraries of all types...are resources the American public and new Administration can use to help people find jobs, support education and lifelong learning, provide access to information and telecommunications services, empower families, and enable civic engagement as well as promote literacy and connect communities."

In fact, public libraries are the sole source of no-fee access to the Internet for 73% of Americans without connectivity at home or work. This is especially important for people who use their libraries to gain access to e-government services, such as Social Security and Medicare information and tax preparation and filing. Although the demand for library services has increased with the economic downturn, library budgets are often the first thing cut.

Key issues discussed in the report include:

• Broadband build-out and telecommunications
• School libraries
• Funding for library programs
• Access and transparency in government
• Access and civil liberties
  
• Literacy and lifelong learning
• Copyright

The following concerns are of particular interest and specific recommendations were made:

• Recognize and fund libraries as critical access points for e-government services
• Require all federal agencies to implement open access policies
• Increase funding and develop long-range plans to maintain digital repositories for research and discovery of all types
• Insist that all federally funded research reports be publicly accessible
• Support library and information services for veterans, active-duty military and their families
• Support amending the USA PATRIOT Act to protect user privacy and related civil liberties
• Assure protection of personal information
• To protect children, support legislation and fund programs that include Internet safety education and emphasize the importance of parental involvement instead of Internet blocking and filtering
• Promote copyright law that balances the rights of the public and the rights of copyright holders as articulated in the U.S. Constitution
• Advance fair use and other lawful uses of protected works by the public and libraries that serve them
• Support library community participation in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) by meeting with library representatives prior to meetings to ensure diverse views are considered in the development of treaties
• Support the library community's efforts to expand access to materials for the visually impaired
• Seek input from the library community on potential candidates for Executive Office of the President Coordinator for Intellectual Property, the Chief Technology Officer, and head of the Copyright Office positions

View the report in its entirety for all of the recommendations.