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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hi everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>As you can see ALA has written an
in depth response to the FCC regarding the need to increase the cap on E-rate
as </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>well as </span><span style='color:#1F497D'>reaffirming
its support for simplifying the application and disbursement processes. This
is an issue that impacts all types of libraries in South Carolina and is of
interest to many in the library community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tom Gilson</span><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Michael Dowling
[mailto:mdowling@ala.org] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 24, 2009 12:35 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> ALACRO-L<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [alacro-l] ALA Responds to FCC Call for Comments on Broadband,
E-Rate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>WASHINGTON, D.C. –
The American Library Association (ALA) submitted a <a
href="http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/E-Rate-comments.pdf">response</a>
to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) <a
href="http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2376A1.pdf">call
for comments</a> on broadband needs in education including changes to the
E-rate program to improve broadband deployment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The E-rate program is
nearing the day when it won’t be able to fund all of the most urgent (Priority
One) requests, much less other important requests. This financial shortfall is
not surprising because the E-rate program is currently capped at $2.25 billion
per year, unchanged from the level at the program’s inception in 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>ALA urges the FCC to
increase the cap to compensate for inflation and to provide full support for
current library and school needs within the original intent of the program
– universal access to advanced telecommunications and information
services.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>“Until the E-rate cap
is increased to meet existing needs, the FCC should not consider expanding the
type of entities or services eligible for support,” said Dr. Alan Inouye,
director of ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Maintaining the flexibility
of the current E-rate program is essential to meeting the needs of local
libraries and schools. The E-rate program is already designed to accommodate
evolving emphases and technologies – prospective beneficiaries need only
to submit applications. Fundamental change in the program is unnecessary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>“However, what does
need to be changed are the application and disbursement processes, which are
mind-boggling in their complexity and detail,” Inouye said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>ALA reaffirms its past
support for simplifying the application and disbursement processes, which are
major deterrents to libraries in applying for E-rate discounts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Finally, the FCC should
consider actions to require service providers to connect their networks to
schools and libraries at speeds that support access to advanced services, as
authorized under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Since advanced
services to schools and libraries are not universally available 12 years after
enactment of the Act, ALA concludes that targeted, proactive actions should now
be undertaken and included as an integral component of the National Broadband
Plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>###<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align=right style='text-align:right'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Contact:
<a href="mailto:jterry@alawash.org" target="_blank">Jenni Terry</a><br>
Press Officer<br>
ALA Washington Office<br>
202-628-8410<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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