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THE FEDS IN THE LIFE OF THE LIBRARY

THE FEDS IN THE LIFE OF THE LIBRARY EDITORIAL brary Improvement Act in "Fiscal Currents" (p. 4). Counting on a new administration to offer a different perspective is like playing a legislative brand of Russian THE FEDS IN THE LIFE roulette. Who's to say wha t the next election will bring? In a time when OF THE LIBRARY the highest elected officials look to the stars for guidance, even Jeanne Dixon has remained remarkably si­ The role of the federal govern­ Feds actually insist that this rep­ lent about the government's leaders ment in the development of the na­ in '89. resents a gain for libraries since this tion's libraries has been the subject is the first time they are conceding But dismissing the new bill as an of passionate debate for over 30 that the Federal government has a ideological mission statement with years. The debate is heating u p once continuin g obligation to support no substance is to disregard the long- again as the Library Services and libraries. term implications — implications Construction Act moves toward its Ron Preston, Deputy Secretary of deeply connected to the fiscal health 1989 deadline for reauthorization. Education, was the federal messen­ of the nation. What began as the 1956 Library ger at PLA, and in an articulate and My editorial for The Bottom Line's Services Act with one title aimed at carefully crafted presentation (see p. Charte r Issue (June 1986, p. 3) ensuring access to public library ser­ 10) he let us know precisely how pointed out what some of the con­ vice for rural areas had, by 1964, librarie s will fare if the current sequences of a Zero Sum Society evolved into LSCA. At that time ac­ administration has its way. might be for libraries. Back then, cess for urban areas was appended It's all pretty much politics as usual, MIT's Lester Thurow had warned us to Title I and support for construc­ that America's slowed productivity rooted in apparent compromise — tion added in Title II. the oldest of tactics for conflict res­ growth in a world market filled with Since then, through Titles III, IV, olution. After all, what other re­ competitive peers and our mount­ ing budget had already resulted in V and VI, legislation has extended cours e does the Executive have, LSCA to cover resource sharing and when Congress has refused to sup­ loss of economic superiority. networking, Indian tribes and Ha­ port its position in seven tries! Two years later, the United States, waiian natives, foreign-language ma­ More surprising is the response of already the world's largest debtor terials and literacy, respectively. LSCA the library profession. The PLA con­ nation, seems doomed to watch its remains the major source of federal ference audience couldn't seem to foreign debt increase to more than support for libraries. get past an emotion-laden metaphor $2 trillion by 1995, seriously cutting During the same period, the Higher likening libraries to dandelions and into American living standards. Education Act also made funding responded with boos and cat calls. There can be little doubt at this available for libraries through Title The Chief Officers of State Library time — after the stock market crash II-B for research, training, and dem­ Agencies vacillated before deciding of 1987 and the market's ensuing onstration; through Title II-C for to pass a resolution that opposed the roller coaster fluctuations — that our strengthening research libraries; and bill. The ALA Washington Office ex­ decline as a world power will affect through Title II-D for college library pressed "guarded pleasure that there the ultimate financial well-being of technology and cooperation. is at last a modest federal role pro­ libraries. posed after seven lean years." Despite these programs, an en­ But, although our financial future during federal role for support of li­ Even Joh n Berry's usually acerbic may partially be influenced by eco­ brarie s — distinct from but pen turned suddenly mellow as it nomic factors, it is in the political compatible with the role of the states, comforte d us with, "Do not be arena that the fate of libraries will local government, or private sources afraid in a very few months these be decided. — still remains largely undefined. guys will go away" (Library Jour­ What we need — and soon — is The Public Library Association's nal, June 1, 1988, p. 4) . a comprehensive, strategic plan for recent conference was the forum the To date, ou r profession's response the tough financial times. And we Reagan administration used to an­ has included nothing more than bad need a strong coalition of library nounce to librarians how it would manners, superficial comments, and leaders — to communicate that plan define their immediate future: money platitudes. Even five months after t o the politicians before library for LSCA and HEA are out. A new Preston's statements, w e have no or­ funding is cut to ribbons. Library Improvement Act of 1988 is chestrated plan for hammering out in. a lasting agreement on what the role of the federal government must be Repeatedly, during its tenure, the Administration has slated libraries for in the life of U.S. libraries. Zero Funding. So, the fact that this W e think the situation serious new bill seeks to reduce the 1988 enough to devote a good deal of this library appropriations under LSCA issue to presenting our concerns and HEA from $135 million to $76 along with Ron Preston's PLA talk million should surprise no one. The and Tom Alrutz's analysis of the Li­ Volume 2, Number 3 THE BOTTOM LINE 3 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances Emerald Publishing

THE FEDS IN THE LIFE OF THE LIBRARY

The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances , Volume 2 (3): 1 – Mar 1, 1989
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0888-045X
DOI
10.1108/eb025176
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Abstract

EDITORIAL brary Improvement Act in "Fiscal Currents" (p. 4). Counting on a new administration to offer a different perspective is like playing a legislative brand of Russian THE FEDS IN THE LIFE roulette. Who's to say wha t the next election will bring? In a time when OF THE LIBRARY the highest elected officials look to the stars for guidance, even Jeanne Dixon has remained remarkably si­ The role of the federal govern­ Feds actually insist that this rep­ lent about the government's leaders ment in the development of the na­ in '89. resents a gain for libraries since this tion's libraries has been the subject is the first time they are conceding But dismissing the new bill as an of passionate debate for over 30 that the Federal government has a ideological mission statement with years. The debate is heating u p once continuin g obligation to support no substance is to disregard the long- again as the Library Services and libraries. term implications — implications Construction Act moves toward its Ron Preston, Deputy Secretary of deeply connected to the fiscal health 1989 deadline for reauthorization. Education, was the federal messen­ of the nation. What began as the 1956 Library ger at PLA, and in an articulate and My editorial for The Bottom Line's Services Act with one title aimed at carefully crafted presentation (see p. Charte r Issue (June 1986, p. 3) ensuring access to public library ser­ 10) he let us know precisely how pointed out what some of the con­ vice for rural areas had, by 1964, librarie s will fare if the current sequences of a Zero Sum Society evolved into LSCA. At that time ac­ administration has its way. might be for libraries. Back then, cess for urban areas was appended It's all pretty much politics as usual, MIT's Lester Thurow had warned us to Title I and support for construc­ that America's slowed productivity rooted in apparent compromise — tion added in Title II. the oldest of tactics for conflict res­ growth in a world market filled with Since then, through Titles III, IV, olution. After all, what other re­ competitive peers and our mount­ ing budget had already resulted in V and VI, legislation has extended cours e does the Executive have, LSCA to cover resource sharing and when Congress has refused to sup­ loss of economic superiority. networking, Indian tribes and Ha­ port its position in seven tries! Two years later, the United States, waiian natives, foreign-language ma­ More surprising is the response of already the world's largest debtor terials and literacy, respectively. LSCA the library profession. The PLA con­ nation, seems doomed to watch its remains the major source of federal ference audience couldn't seem to foreign debt increase to more than support for libraries. get past an emotion-laden metaphor $2 trillion by 1995, seriously cutting During the same period, the Higher likening libraries to dandelions and into American living standards. Education Act also made funding responded with boos and cat calls. There can be little doubt at this available for libraries through Title The Chief Officers of State Library time — after the stock market crash II-B for research, training, and dem­ Agencies vacillated before deciding of 1987 and the market's ensuing onstration; through Title II-C for to pass a resolution that opposed the roller coaster fluctuations — that our strengthening research libraries; and bill. The ALA Washington Office ex­ decline as a world power will affect through Title II-D for college library pressed "guarded pleasure that there the ultimate financial well-being of technology and cooperation. is at last a modest federal role pro­ libraries. posed after seven lean years." Despite these programs, an en­ But, although our financial future during federal role for support of li­ Even Joh n Berry's usually acerbic may partially be influenced by eco­ brarie s — distinct from but pen turned suddenly mellow as it nomic factors, it is in the political compatible with the role of the states, comforte d us with, "Do not be arena that the fate of libraries will local government, or private sources afraid in a very few months these be decided. — still remains largely undefined. guys will go away" (Library Jour­ What we need — and soon — is The Public Library Association's nal, June 1, 1988, p. 4) . a comprehensive, strategic plan for recent conference was the forum the To date, ou r profession's response the tough financial times. And we Reagan administration used to an­ has included nothing more than bad need a strong coalition of library nounce to librarians how it would manners, superficial comments, and leaders — to communicate that plan define their immediate future: money platitudes. Even five months after t o the politicians before library for LSCA and HEA are out. A new Preston's statements, w e have no or­ funding is cut to ribbons. Library Improvement Act of 1988 is chestrated plan for hammering out in. a lasting agreement on what the role of the federal government must be Repeatedly, during its tenure, the Administration has slated libraries for in the life of U.S. libraries. Zero Funding. So, the fact that this W e think the situation serious new bill seeks to reduce the 1988 enough to devote a good deal of this library appropriations under LSCA issue to presenting our concerns and HEA from $135 million to $76 along with Ron Preston's PLA talk million should surprise no one. The and Tom Alrutz's analysis of the Li­ Volume 2, Number 3 THE BOTTOM LINE 3

Journal

The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances – Emerald Publishing

Published: Mar 1, 1989

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