AkASL Proposed Legislation

School Library Collection Development Grant Proposal
"...to expand and improve the library collection to include relevant and current reading materials."

Update 4/19/08 - SB 119 Goes to Gov Palin

SB 119 has passed the House and Senate and is waiting for the Governor's signature. There is no funding attached to the bill at this time. Next policies will be written for the enactment of the bill by the State Library, and then funding will be requested next year.

Update 2/10/08 - SB119 passes Senate Finance Committee

See Bill History link for more details.

Update 1/31/08 - More info on SB119

By Barb Bryson
CS For Senate Bill No. 119 (FIN) and the tracking number is 25-LS0749 C

If  you want to take a look at the minutes from our Senate Finance Hearing and the testimony we gave, as well as the comments by the legislators, go to the Alaska Legislative website: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/
Click on the "Basis" tab near the top in the center. Search for SB 119

The testimony on our portion of SB 119 went very well.  Our speakers
were great!  Though I didn't get to watch Cathy Boutin in action, Sue
Sherif did and said she too did a nice job with the visuals.  I gotta
tell you, Charlotte Glover's testimony brought tears to my eyes, and
Debbie Edwards and Mo Radotitch were great from a parent's
perspective.  We all know how Roz Goodman did.  Super! Clark Gruening
left a message on my telephone today that it was  well received.

Update 1/30/08 - send in your comments via POM today!

SB 119 presented to the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday January 31.
New Committee Substitute (CS) for SB119 available.
CS includes:

• $3000 award instead of $2500
• award administered by the State Library
• piggy backing on another bill giving smaller community public libraries an opportunity for a library construction and expansion matching grant

State Public Opinion Message Form : to complete and FAX or mail.
Alaska Legislative Information and Contacts
Alaska State Legislature Home Page

Purpose:
To increase Alaskan students’ access to new and varied library materials, a $3000 annual grant per Alaska public school libraries has been proposed in Senate Bill 119.

Rationale:
• We envision this grant as a means for school libraries to update materials such as almanacs, encyclopedias, atlases that reflect current world geography, books that show advances in science, changes in health issues, recent political issues, etc.
• This grant program would parallel the already existing state support of public libraries.
•See SB119 flyer for more details PDF 175 kb

What Has Been Done:
2006/2007: The Alaska Association of School Librarians, with support from other interested Alaskan citizens, worked to get this school library collection grant into the legislative process. Senator Donny Olson became the Primary Sponsor for this project now called SB 119. The bill went through the Senate HESS Committee in April as the 2006/2007 school year wrapped up and is now ready for the Senate Finance Committee.

Let’s Get SB 119 Passed This Session!
2007/2008: YOU can help. Talk to Legislators and Community Members and solicit their support. *Get SB 119 through the Senate Finance Committee. *Solicit a Primary Sponsor in the House of Representatives. *Seek support from other educational agencies, i.e. State School Board Association, School Administrators, PTA; from other parents, teachers and librarians. *Support efforts of Primary Sponsor to move the House bill through HESS & Finance Committees.

Research Shows:

Expenditures for updating library collections appear to be linked to
student achievement. “The libraries in the high-performing schools
spent over 25 per cent more money on books and print materials per
100 students than those in the low-performing schools.”
An Essential Connection, p.45, by Robert Burgin, 2003

See the SB 119 bill history page to follow progress of the bill, and original bill language.

Help Promote! Contact your local legislators AND members of committees reviewing the bill to show your support. See list of current committees and members. State Legislature page with list of all contacts.

 

Send a Public Opinion Message (POM) to show your support for the grant. Follow the directions on the form to mail or FAX your POM.

POM tips:

• Keep it short
• State your opinion on the topic clearly
• Give a few short supporting details
• Incorporate student achievement and reading
• Spread the word! Ask teachers, administrators and parents to send POMs too.
• See sample POM

Questions? Contact AkASL Past President; Barb Bryson and AkASL Area Rep. Lynn McNamara for more details..

Suzanne Richards (right), Bethel speaks with Rep. Mary Nelson (middle) about the School Library Grant proposal in Juneau during the AKLA Conference February, 2007.

History of SB119 Legislation

Wednesday April, 25

Comments from audio testimony:

"Senate Bill 119, The School Library Collection Grant, presented to the Senate this Wednesday at 1:30.

SB 119 testimony took place today in the HES Committee.  It was moved 

out of committee and we should know by the end of the week when it 

will go to the Finance Committee.  (Probably sometime in the next week.)

Cathy Boutan, Kari Sagel, Tiki Levinson, and Lynn M. were great!!  

Roz Goodman was at the ready with excellent testimony but was put 

into the session too late to be heard. 

Charlotte Glover jumped on board and gave excellent testimony from a 

public librarian's perspective, and a principal from the Juneau area, 

(still need to get her name)  spoke eloquently on behalf of how great 

school librarians are, as well as touching on many of our talking 

points. Their association will be sending a letter of support on 

behalf of this bill!!

Please take a few minutes to send an email  of thanks to Donny 

Olson's office and the HES Committee members.

Now I guess we gear up for the Finance Committee!!

All for now.

Barb

As of March 16 the bill has been referred to the Senate House, Education and Social Services Committee.

Updated 1/30/08