[tblc-diversity] Re: tblc-diversity digest, Vol 1 #107 - 1 msg

[JOHN ILIFF]

To All in Florida:

  This is absolutely terrible news. I cannot imagine what libraries
would be like in Florida without the significant accomplishments of the
library cooperatives. I am now in Alaska, but know that I will do all I
can to get librarians HERE to generate an outcry against this. This
isn't going to save money, it will cost money to undercut cooperative
efforts. It is incumbent upon all librarians to stridently  oppose this.
I consider it a litmus test for much to come if librarians aren't
vigilant ...


   John Iliff
   in Anchorage Alaska



> 
> This is a rally call for those of you in (and out of) Florida. Looks
> like Jeb got scissor happy and decided to cut funding to all six Fl.
> Library cooperatives down to zero. Which means across the state of
> Florida public, K-12 school, academic and specialized libraries will
> have very limited networked access to the resource sharing, continuing
> education, and technology these coops bring. This is a very serious
> crisis, and a letter writing campaign will begin next week. I
> encourage everyone to visit http://www.neflin.org (the North East
> Florida Library Network) or whatever cooperative to which you may
> belong, educate, and retaliate!
> 
> And to think his sister-in-law is a librarian...
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: =A0 Brad Ward [mailto:brad@neflin.org]
> Sent: =A0 Friday, January 19, 2001 1:45 PM
> To: NEFLIN-Announce List Member
> Subject: =A0[NEFLIN-Announce] Funding crisis - We need your help!
> 
> NEFLIN Members,
> Many times you have heard the word "crisis" used. =A0I want you to know
> that I do not use that word lightly in writing to you today. Governor
> Jeb Bush has put out his budget this week. =A0He has cut the funding for
> all six Florida library cooperatives from $1.2 million next year to
> ZERO. =A095 percent of NEFLIN's funding comes through the State of
> Florida in the form of grants. =A0This is our operating monies and the
> match we use to obtain federal LSTA funds. =A0Without the base funding
> of $1.2 million dollars, NEFLIN, and 3 of the other Florida
> cooperatives, will have to close their doors on October 1st. In order
> to have this base of funding next fiscal year we need the Florida
> legislature to put this funding in their budget. I will be sending you
> the following information next week via fax and e-mail: * A list of
> legislators, with contact information, in NEFLIN's service area that
> need to be contacted either personally, via letter and/or via e-mail.
> * A form letter that can be sent to these legislators to show your
> support.
> 
> I am asking that every person on your staff send the letter. =A0Numbers
> count!
> 
> I'm optimistic that we can rally support in the legislature. =A0Please
> be on the lookout next week for more information. Thanks! Brad
> 
-- 
John Iliff
University of Alaska Consortium Library
afji@uaa.alaska.edu
907.786.4628
Fax: 796.6050
url: http://www.mylibrarian.com
☮ to all ...