Statement of Patricia Wand, University Librarian
on behalf of the American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, American Association of Law Libraries, Special Libraries Association
before the Subcommittee on Legislative, House Committee on Appropriations
on the FY 2001 Appropriations for the Library of Congress
February 2, 2000
I am Patricia Wand, University Librarian, American University and I am
appearing today on behalf of the American Library Association (ALA), the
Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the American Association of Law
Libraries (AALL), and the Special Libraries Association (SLA).
Collectively, these 4 associations represent thousands of individuals and
institutions serving communities throughout the Nation. I very much
appreciate the opportunity to appear again before the Subcommittee on
Legislative. This Subcommittee has a long history of support for the
Library of Congress and its programs.
Mr. Chairman, by 2007, it is estimated that there will be more
than a billion computers and Internet-enabled appliances. These
appliances and computers will contain software that we cannot even begin
to imagine at this point but some of it will emerge from several key
networked-based initiatives that will profoundly influence the direction
and capabilities of data sharing and access. These activities have and
will change how libraries and their users access and use a myriad of
information resources. Libraries have actively promoted and invested in
many networked-based programs and services with an appreciation for
ensuring that these technologies and services benefit all sectors and
importantly, so that these information resources are available for future
generations.
The Library is poised to continue meeting the challenges of the
print-based and digital networked information environments. LC programs
such as the National Library Services (NLS) for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped, those relating to preservation and cataloging, and electronic
information services such as the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN)
and the National Digital Library, collectively serve constituencies
throughout the Nation. As the Library approaches its bicentennial, these
and other programs merit the continued and full support of the
Subcommittee on Legislative and its Members.
The Library of Congress request of $428.1 million for FY 2001 (including
the authority to obligate $33.6 million in receipts) positions the Library
to realize the benefits of the ever expanding digital networked
environment while ensuring that ongoing programs and services are
maintained. Although this request represents an 11.4% increase in the
Librarys budget, it is important to note that a significant share of this
increase is slated for mandatory costs such as pay increases.
I will focus my remarks on four LC program areas :
- Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped;
- Preservation and Technology Initiatives;
- Law Library; and
- Security Measures.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
(NLS) is a critically important service to the Nation. This national
library service provides recorded and braille materials to 761,000 blind
and physically handicapped persons throughout the United States and is
accomplished via a cooperative network of 138 regional, sub-regional
libraries (state, regional, and public libraries throughout the nation)
and two multi-state centers that circulate these resources to eligible
borrowers by postage-free mail. Some 22.5 million items are borrowed
annually. The network of libraries also serves as distribution points for
specialized playback equipment and accessories.
We support the minimum request of $48,983,000 for this program in FY 2001 which includes $367,389 in mandatory salary costs and $813,950 in price level increases.
Preservation and Technology Initiatives
Preservation:
Mr. Chairman, the Nation faces a dual challenge in preserving our
cultural and historical heritage - how to address the fragility of our
printed past and the volatility of the electronic future. Our Nation
relies upon the availability of our historical and cultural records that
chronicle political events, document significant scientific breakthroughs,
record cultural milestones, and more. To preserve the past, libraries
have established many collaborative and cooperative programs to treat
millions of books and other materials, most of which are becoming
unreadable due to the acidic paper on which they are printed. This is
truly a national crisis and our response must be sustained over many
years, utilizing many different approaches to preserving these invaluable
printed resources.
Some sense of how the library community has responded is illustrative.
Over the past 20 years, more than 80 of the 121 ARL member libraries have
established preservation programs with preservation activities becoming an
institutional priority by the 1990's. By 1997 for example, more than $80
million was slated for preservation activities in ARL libraries with over
one million volumes treated.
The Library of Congress Mass Deacidification Program has, over several
years, successfully deacidified over 250,000 books. This process, one of
many employed by the library community to tackle this enormous and
critical problem, extends the life of brittle books significantly,
permitting their use for at least another 300-800 years. The FY 2001
request by the Library of Congress would make permanent the Mass
Deacidification Program with the goal of saving 1,000,0000 endangered
books over five years. This proposal is part of a thirty-year plan to
deacidify all older books as well as new, acidic acquisitions. In
addition to substantially increasing the number of books deacidified each
year, the program would also treat at least 5 million sheets of
manuscripts.
Technology:
Recent statistics note that the number of college students
enrolled in distance learning courses will reach 2.2 million in 2002, up
from 710,000 in 1998. This phenomena is not limited to college students.
Indeed, distance learning activities span all ages, K-99. Making more
information resources available via the World Wide Web is integral to the
success of distance learning endeavors. The Internet and World Wide Web
are increasingly, a key means by which we learn, we teach, we communicate, and participate in our democracy. The investments and "lessons learned" from the National Digital Library position the Library to serve the Nation through the proposed National On-line Library. Thus we support the request to make the Library's digital library initiative, the National Digital Library, permanently authorized. The Library has contributed
significantly to making our cultural and related resources accessible via
the network. Libraries of all types are making substantial investments in
making special collections and other resources accessible via the network
in support of distance learning, making their collections more accessible
to the public, and more. Together, with others in the public and private
sectors, libraries provide a unique perspective and expertise regarding
how to make these resources accessible in a meaningful and useful manner.
Law Library
With over 2.3 million volumes, the Law Library of Congress is the world's
largest legal collection of United States federal and state,
international, comparative and foreign law covering over 200
jurisdictions. The Law Library provides legal and legislative reference
and collection services to Congress, the Judicial and Executive branches
of government, and to the American public. As our de facto national Law
Library, it serves a critically important role as the Federal government's
only comprehensive legal and legislative research collection. With an
exceptionally skilled staff competent in most foreign languages and
international law and legal systems of the world, the Law Library serves
more than 100,000 users each year and, in addition, a rapidly increasing
number of remote users through its web site and its unique digital
collections.
We urge your full support for the Law Library's FY 2001 budget request of
$8.28 million. It includes a critically important increase to fund 16 FTE
positions (including reference and research librarians, automation staff
and technicians) to restore continued acceptable levels of research and
reference service to members of Congress and other Government agencies and
officials. In addition, the request includes necessary increases to
support the Law Library's important automation projects: expanding the
scope of the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN), a unique
multinational legal database of official, current foreign law resources,
and implementing the Library's Integrated Library System to all facets of
its operations.
Security Measures
Mr. Chairman, we thank the Congress for its support of the Library's
efforts to enhance the security of the collections and its staff. All
libraries face significant challenges in ensuring the safety of their
staff and collections. Such services are integral to library operations.
We support the Library of Congress request to make permanent police
positions authorized in FY 1999 supplemental appropriations and for $4.5
million for collections security controls. These requests complement,
indeed, build upon other security measures supported by the Subcommittee
over the last several years.
Conclusion
In closing, Mr. Chairman, as the Library of Congress celebrates 200 years
of service to the Congress and the people of the Nation, we have a unique
opportunity to ensure that all constituencies benefit from the Librarys
acquisitions pertaining to our Nation's cultural resources, growing
networked information environment, and global information resources.
Funding to assist the Library in strengthening its infrastructure is a key
step in meeting this important goal. Thank you for the opportunity to
appear before the Subcommittee today. ARL, ALA, AALL, and SLA look forward to working with you. We very much appreciate your continuing support for the Library and its programs.
The American Library Association is a nonprofit educational organization
of 57,000 librarians, library trustees, and other friends of libraries
dedicated to improving library services and promoting the public interest
in a free and open information society.
The American Association of Law Libraries is a nonprofit educational
organization with 4,800 members dedicated to serving the legal information
needs of legislators and other public officials, law professors, and
students, attorneys, and members of the general public.
The Association of Research Libraries is an Association of 121 research
libraries in North America. ARL programs and services promote equitable
access to and effective use of recorded knowledge in support of teaching,
research, scholarship, and community service.
The Special Libraries Association is an international association
representing the interests of nearly 15,000 information professionals in
60 countries. Special librarians are information resource experts who
collect, analyze, evaluate, package and disseminate information to
facilitate accurate decision-making in corporate, academic, and
governmental settings. The Association offers a myriad of programs and
services designed to help its members serve their customers more
effectively and succeed in an increasingly challenging environment of
information management and technology. SLA is committed to the
professional growth and success of its membership.