ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 540 / C &R L N ew s Write a letter—change a law By Sharon J . Rogers A C R L Past President University Librarian G eorge Washington University A new generation o f academ ic letter writers is needed. A s librarian s, w e are all conscious of the power o f the printed word. In the 15 months since I moved to W ashington, D .C ., how ever, the value o f the w ritten word has taken on a new connotation for me. I have been reminded o f its pow er w hen it is in the form o f a letter to a Senator or R epresentative from a constituent. Politicians pay attention to rel­ atively few influences w hen they are deciding how they w ill stand on an issue. T hey pay attention to th eir sta ff. Most of them p ay a tten tio n to th eir party leaders. T hey pay attention to the people and organizations who fin ance th eir cam paigns. T hey pay atten tion to w ell-know n or powerful lobbyists. And they pay attention to their m ail. Letters from individuals carry a particu lar and pow erful kind o f clout. T h e key to the clout is indi­ viduality. Letters th a t explain exactly how the leg­ islation under discussion affects the operations and services o f an academ ic lib rary in their state or dis­ trict have a pretty fa ir chan ce of winding up on the politician’s desk. Nearly all politicians review at least some of th eir constituents’ letters and m any review all of them . T h e letters let the p oliticians know th a t constitu­ ents are concerned about an issue and also serve an­ other equally im p ortan t function. T h ey educate th e p o litic ia n — a n d , very im p o rta n tly , his/her sta ff m em b ers— a b o u t issues o f co n cern to a c a ­ dem ic librarians. Even w ith the help of capable professional staff, w ith th e support o f the various research arms o f the Senate and the House, w ith the reams o f inform ation they get daily from lobby­ is ts , a l e g i s l a t o r ’s m o st u r g e n t n eed is fo r inform ation — for the facts and the ram ifications w hich can 1) give them the knowledge they need to decide intelligently on the issue, and 2) the ratio n ­ ale they need for the decision they fin ally make. So what? You m ay think Potom ac Fever has gripped m e in the form o f strong urges to deliver elem entary civ­ ics lessons. How ever, according to E ileen Cooke, D irecto r o f the ALA W ashington O ffice, academ ic librarianship needs a new generation of letter w rit­ ers. T h a t’s understandable when you consider th a t data from a 1984 survey indicated th a t 4 6 % of A C R L m em bers h ad been A C R L m em bers for five years or less. T aking the responsibility for becom ing knowl­ edgeable about legislative issues and w ritin g letters describing their lo cal im pact are a w ay th a t each A C R L m em ber can support the broader legislative work o f A C R L and A LA . As all o f you know , A C R L has an active Legislation C om m ittee which has m ade significant contributions to th e legislative process— most recently in developing and recom ­ m ending th e “need c rite ria ” w h ich m ay allow funding to b e available again for T itle II-A o f the H igher Ed u catio n Act. T h e A LA W ashington O ffice arranges witnesses for Congressional hearings, helps w ith testim ony, and briefs witnesses on w h at to expect. T h e office works w ith A LA legislative networks and library constituents of key legislators. W h en A T & T pro­ posed a private line ta r iff increase w hich would have m eant increases in telecom m unications costs a v e ra g in g 7 3 % , th e A L A W a s h in g to n O ff ic e spearheaded the form ation o f a coalition o f library organizations, networks, and bibliographic utili­ N ovem ber 1985 / 541 ties w h ich p o o led reso u rces a n d h ired te c h n o lo g i­ c a l exp ertise. T h is im p ro v ed in fo rm a tio n b a se e n ­ a b l e d c o a l i t i o n m e m b e r s s u c h as A L A to p a rtic ip a te fo r m a lly in co m p le x F C C p ro ceed in g s an d m o u n t a c a m p a ig n o f le tte rs to th e F C C an d C on gress. T h e re su lt w as a d elayed a n d m u c h less d ra stic in c re a se . E a c h m o n th , C a r o l H en d erso n o f th e W a s h in g to n O f f i c e w r ite s th e “ W a s h in g to n H o tlin e ” co lu m n fo r C & R L N e w s . B u t th e n eeds o f a c a d e m ic lib ra ria n s h ip w ill b e m o st e f fe c tiv e ly to ld w ith th e h e lp w h ic h o n ly dozens— o r b e tte r , h u n d re d s— o f letters c a n p ro ­ vid e. A c a d e m ic lib ra ria n s c a n ch o o se to m a k e th e ir p ro fessio n al c o n trib u tio n s b y te llin g th e story as o n ly in d iv id u a ls w o rk in g in th e field c a n te ll it. Why now? T h e r e a re sev era l issues b e fo r e C o n g ress n ow on w h ic h le tte r w rite rs c o u ld c o n c e n tr a te , b u t t h e f o l­ lo w in g a re p erh a p s th e c r u c ia l ones: T h e H ig h e r E d u c a t i o n A c t r e a u th o r iz a tio n . M a n y p a r ts o f th is A c t a f f e c t a c a d e m ic a n d r e ­ sea rch lib r a r ie s , a n d T it l e I I is th e o n ly p ie c e o f F e d e r a l leg is la tio n a im ed s p e c ific a lly a t su ch l i ­ b ra rie s. E a c h y e a r th e R e a g a n A d m in is tra tio n h as re co m m en d ed e lim in a tio n o f T it l e I I . C o n g re ss h as c o n tin u ed to fu n d I I - B a n d I I - C , a lth o u g h II -A fu n d in g w a s d isco n tin u ed p en d in g d e v e lo p m e n t o f n eed c r ite r ia . T it l e I I - A n eed c r ite r ia h a v e b een p ro p o sed b y th e jo i n t e ffo rts o f th e A C R L L e g is la tio n C o m m it­ te e , A L A , a n d t h e A s s o c ia tio n o f R e s e a r c h L i ­ b ra rie s. D e p e n d in g on th e u ltim a te lev el o f fu n d ­ in g , th e a m e n d m e n ts th e y p ro p o se w ill p ro v id e fo r m e a n in g fu l g ra n ts o f $ 2 , 0 0 0 - $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 fo r th e m o st n eed y a c a d e m ic lib r a r ie s — up to h a lf o f a ll in s titu ­ tion s. S in c e 1 9 6 6 , th e I I -A c o lle g e l ib r a r y resources p ro g ra m h as p ro v id ed o v e r $ 1 9 6 m illio n fo r b ooks, p erio d ica ls, a n d o th e r m a te r ia ls . T h e m a in te n a n c e of e ffo r t r e q u ire m e n t o fte n h elp ed lib ra ria n s p e r­ suade c o lle g e a d m in is tra to rs n o t to c u t b u d g ets in lean y e a rs o r risk b e in g in e lig ib le fo r a F e d e r a l grant. T it l e I I - B h a s , sin ce 1 9 6 6 , p ro v id ed o v e r $ 3 0 m il­ lion in lib r a r y s c ie n ce tr a in in g fo r over 4 ,0 0 0 in d i­ viduals. I I - B is a c r itic a l so u rce o f su p p o rt fo r m i­ nority r e c r u itm e n t; sin ce 1 9 7 3 , 7 0 % o f fello w sh ip s were a w a rd e d to m in o ritie s. I I - B h as also p ro v id ed $25 m illio n f o r r e sea rc h a n d d e m o n stra tio n s, r a n g ­ ing fro m a n im p o rta n t g r a n t to O C L C in a n ea rly and c r itic a l sta g e in its d e v elo p m en t to th e re c e n t D ep a rtm en t o f E d u c a tio n R e p o r t, “A llia n c e fo r Ex cellen ce: L ib r a r ia n s R esp o n d to ‘A N a tio n a t Risk’, ” w h ic h w a s th e s u b je c t o f th e A C R L P resi­ dent’s P ro g ra m in 1 9 8 4 . T itle I I - C (s tre n g th e n in g r e s e a rc h l i b r a r y r e ­ sources p ro g ra m ) h a s , s in ce 1 9 7 8 , p ro v id ed $ 4 6 .8 m illion fo r p r o je c ts in 9 6 d if fe r e n t re s e a r c h l i ­ braries. Its b e n e fits ex ten d fa r b ey o n d th ese 9 6 l i ­ braries, b e c a u s e it ensures t h a t th e m o st s ig n ific a n t research c o lle c tio n s a re p a r t o f th e n a tio n a l n e t­ work of in te r lib r a r y le n d in g , as w e ll as su p p o rtin g Key legislators for the 9 9th Congress A good w a y to k eep key c o m m itte e a n d s u b ­ c o m m itte e c h a irs in fo rm e d a b o u t lib r a r y issues w ith o u t im p o sin g o n th e m th e b u rd e n o f r e ­ sp o n d in g to le tte rs fro m o u tsid e t h e ir h o m e t e r ­ rito ry is to w r ite to y o u r o w n R e p re s e n ta tiv e an d S e n a to rs , an d sen d a co p y to th e k ey leg is la ­ to rs o n th a t issue. C h a irs a n d ra n k in g m in o r ity m e m b e rs o n s elected lib r a r y issues a re listed b e ­ lo w : F o r b a s i c l i b r a r y l e g i s l a t i o n , H E A , L S C A , N C L I S , W H C L I S , e t c . — H ou se P o s tseco n d a ry E d u c a t i o n S u b c o m m itte e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 5 : R e p . W illia m D . F o r d ( D - M I ) , C h a i r ­ m a n ; R e p . E . T h o m a s C o le m a n (R -M O ), ra n k ­ in g m in o r ity m e m b e r. S e n a t e E d u c a t i o n , A r t s , a n d H u m a n itie s S u b c o m m itte e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 0 : Sen . R o b e r t T . S ta ffo r d ( R - V T ) , C h a ir m a n ; Sen . C la ib o r n e P e ll ( D - R I ) , ra n k in g m in o r ity m e m ­ b er. F o r p o s t a l l e g i s l a t i o n — H o u se P o s t O f f i c e a n d C iv il S e rv ic e C o m m itte e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 5 : R e p . W illia m D . F o r d ( D -M I ), C h a ir ­ m a n ; R e p . G e n e T a y lo r (R -M O ), ra n k in g m i­ n o rity m e m b e r. S e n a te C iv il S e rv ic e , P o s t O ff ic e , & G e n e r a l S e r v i c e s S u b c o m m i t t e e , W a s h i n g t o n , D C 2 0 5 1 0 : S e n . T e d S tev en s (R -A K ), C h a ir m a n ; Sen . A lb e r t G o r e , J r . (D -T N ), ra n k in g m in o r ity m e m b e r. F o r f u n d i n g o f H E A , L S C A , N C L I S , W H ­ C L I S , e t c . — H o u s e L a b o r - H H S - E d u c a t i o n A p p r o p ria tio n s S u b c o m m itte e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 5 : R e p . W illia m H . N a tc h e r (D -K Y ) , C h a ir m a n ; R e p . Silv io O . C o n te (R -N A ), r a n k ­ in g m in o r ity m e m b e r. S e n a t e L a b o r - H H S - E d u c a t i o n A p p r o p r ia ­ tio n s S u b c o m m itte e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 0 : Sen . L o w e ll P . W e ic k e r , J r . ( R - C T ) , C h a i r ­ m a n ; R ep . W illia m P ro x m ire ( D - W I ) , ra n k in g m in o r ity m e m b e r; a lso , th e C h a ir m a n o f th e fu ll S e n a t e A p p r o p ria tio n s C o m m it te e , S e n . M a rk O . H a tfie ld , D - O R , ta k es a sp e cia l in te r ­ est in lib ra rie s . F o r f u n d i n g o f p o s t a l “r e v e n u e f o r g o n e ” s u b s i d y — H ou se T re a s u ry , P o s ta l S e rv ic e , G e n ­ e r a l G o v e rn m e n t A p p ro p ria tio n s S u b c o m m it­ te e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 5 : R e p . E d w a r d R . R o y b a l (D -C A ), C h a ir m a n ; R e p . J o e S k e e n (R - N M ), ra n k in g m in o r ity m e m b e r. S e n a te T re a s u ry , P o s ta l S e rv ic e , a n d G e n e r a l G o v e r n m e n t A p p r o p ria tio n s S u b c o m m itte e , W a s h in g to n , D C 2 0 5 1 0 : Se n . Ja m e s A b d n o r ( R - S D ) , C h a i r m a n ; S e n . D e n n is D e C o n c in i (D -A Z ), ra n k in g m in o r ity m e m b e r. F o r m o re in fo rm a tio n o n w h o to w r ite in C o n g re ss, c o n t a c t th e A L A W a s h in g to n O ffic e , (2 0 2 ) 5 4 7 -4 4 4 0 . 542 / C &R L N ew s p reservation and co llectio n developm ent. Postal subsidies. R ep . B ill F o rd (D -M ichigan ) has challen ged th e lib ra ry com m u nity to com e up w ith b e tte r d a ta on postage costs to lib raries and to support postal subsidies. T h is special e ffo rt is neces­ sary because, for th e first tim e ever, th e R eagan A d m inistration recom m ended elim in atio n o f a ll postal subsidies, even free m ail fo r th e b lin d . I f all subsidy fo r lib ra ry ra te w ere rem oved, a 2 -lb . book p ackage w ould go from 5 4 cents to 94 cen ts— a 74 % increase. T h e lib ra ry ra te subsidy is curren tly $ 4 2 m illio n — h a lf o f th a t for th e prin ted and AV m aterials th a t lib raries, schools, colleges, and oth er n on-p rofit organizations send am ong them selves for in terlib ra ry lo a n , film rentals, textbook distri­ b u tio n , etc. ‚ and h a lf for publishers and distribu­ tors w ho a re a b le to m ail m a teria ls sold to libraries. W ith th e coop eration o f A C R L , th e ALA W a sh ­ ington O ffice surveyed th e A C R L 100 institutions to get som e d ata on postal costs. T h e 5 3 lib raries w h ich sent usable responses spent from $ 3 4 4 to $ 2 6 ,0 0 0 on postage; th e average cost w as $ 5 ,8 0 0 . C a n your lib ra ry afford to lose such support? W h ite H ouse C o n feren ce on L ib r a ry and In fo r­ m atio n Services. L egislatio n is pen din g fo r a sec­ ond W h ite H ouse co n feren ce, to b e held no la ter th a n 198 9 . T h e next W h ite H ouse conference is likely to be m ore focused, p ro b a b ly on inform ation technology advances and th e consequent op p ortu­ n ity a n d c h a lle n g e fo r l ib r a r y serv ices. W h e n F r a n k N ew m an , in th e new re p o rt “H igher E d u c a ­ tio n an d th e A m e r ic a n R e s u rg e n c e ” fro m th e C a r n e g ie F o u n d a tio n fo r th e A d v a n ce m e n t of L e a rn in g , is saying th a t th ese tech n o log ical ad­ vances h ave m oved th e research com m u nity b e ­ yond th e c a p a city o f th e research lib ra ry , th a t w e m ust evolve from an em phasis on acquisitions to a n ew system based on access, and th a t perhaps this n ew system should n ot b e called “lib ra ry ,” ca n a c a ­ dem ic lib ra ria n s afford n o t to b eco m e involved in th e next W h ite H ouse co nference? And, in closing... L e t t e r s fr o m c o n s t itu e n t s a r e im p o r t a n t C ongressional-influencers. T h e y can dem onstrate th a t th e position tak en by A C R L and A L A is, in fa c t, endorsed b y and im p o rtan t to its m em b er­ ship. And since, as stated b efo re, letters from co n ­ stituents h ave a figh tin g c h a n c e o f gettin g past the sta ff and to th e p o liticians, th ey ca n b e th e best m eans o f giving p oliticians th e facts th ey need to m ake a decision and th e ra tio n a le they need to de­ fend it. W rite tod ay a b o u t th e H igher E d u c a tio n A ct, next w eek a b o u t postal subsidies, next m onth about th e W h ite H ouse c o n fere n ce. And w rite a b o u t o th er issues o f im p o rtan ce to you. T h e letters don’t h ave to b e lo n g— and th ey don’t even have to be typed. O n e Congressional sta ffer said he w as m ore im pressed b y a h a n d -w ritten letter th a n b y a typed o n e— and by letters on p lain p ap er instead o f le t­ terh ead . You don’t th in k your n am e should b e on th e letter? D ra ft a letter for your D ire c to r or V ice President fo r A cadem ic A ffairs to send. T h e im p o rta n t th in g is to w rite o r m ake sure som eone else in your a rea does. Becau se in th e era o f ele c tr o n ic m a il, co m p u te r analyses an d PA C cam p aig ns, a single le tte r from a single constituent c a n still m a k e an all-im p o rta n t difference. ■ ■ How to communicate with legislators W h en to w rite. I t is im p o rta n t to understand the legislative process in o rd er to know w hen it will be m ost effectiv e to co n ta ct legislators. A b ill m a y b e w r itte n by a n in d iv id u a l, an agency, a c o m m ittee, or a sub co m m ittee o f o ne of th e houses o f C ongress. E a c h b ill is assigned to a co m m ittee th a t studies it and decides w h a t actio n should b e tak en . M em bers o f th e c o m m ittee should be co n tacted w hen the bill is about to co m e before th e co m m ittee. B y ca llin g th e Bill Status O ffice in W ash ing to n , D .C . , a t (202) 2 2 5 -1 7 7 2 and re ferrin g to th e bill n u m b er, i t is possible to fin d o ut th e d ate a b ill was i n t r o d u c e d , t h e n a m e s o f its s p o n s o rs o r c o ­ sponsors, th e d ate o f c o m m ittee h earin gs, and th e cu rren t status o f th e b ill in th e legislative process. A fter th e b ill com es o ut o f c o m m ittee, it is p re­ sented to th e full House or Senate. W h en th e b ill is ab o u t to co m e b efo re th e H ouse or S en a te th e re p ­ resentative should be co n tacted if it is a House bill or b o th Senators if it is a S en a te bill. Legislatio n requ irin g fed eral fu nd ing m ust go through tw o processes: authorization and funding. I f Congress does not ap p ro p riate su fficient funds, o r if executive agencies cu t b a ck on funds, a p ro­ gram ca n b e seriously c u rtailed . T h e refo re, a fter a bill has been passed, it is im p o rta n t to state your views a b o u t th e n eed fo r ad equ ate fu nd ing to C o n ­ gress or to th e agency w ritin g th e regulations to im ­ plem en t th e law . It is im p o rtan t to lo b b y for appropriations b e­ fo re April 15 w hen th e Bu dget C om m ittees o f the House and Senate rep ort to th eir respective bodies th e first resolution settin g totals for governm ent spending, revenues, d e ficit and level o f p u b lic debt for th e next fiscal year. B y M ay 15, th e B u dget C o m m ittees review v a ri­ ous pieces o f authorization legislation and by Sep­ tem b er 15 , th e second co n cu rren t resolution e stab ­ lishes spending ceilings and a revenue flo o r. Keep these dates in m ind to lo b b y for appropriations. Personal visits. F a c e - to -f a c e discussion is the