The Impact Of Federal Legislation On School Libraries

Not too many years ago a dream was born in the Hotel Congressional \nin Washington when the ALA Committee on Legislation invited \na few public, school, and college librarians, and consultants \nfrom the Library Services Branch of the U. S. Office of Education, to \nmeet with the Committee to discuss the Nation's library needs and \nhow the Federal government might help the states meet these needs. \nThis unpublicized informal conference fashioned a dream that was \nsomewhat revolutionary. The group established the concept that the \nFederal government did have a responsibility that went beyond the \nlimited Library Service Act which at that time provided not more \nthan $7 million for rural public library service. The committee on \nschool libraries was the bravest of the sub- committees for it proposed \na Federal program for school libraries calling for an appropriation \nof $40 million annually, which was far greater than the $7 \nmillion authorized for LSA. And this was asking for the moon ! It \nplanted the seed that flowered in 1965. From this brave assertion \nthat the Federal government's share in the support of school libraries \nshould be at least $40 million annually, this past fiscal year over \n$250 million of Federal funds were committed for printed and audiovisual \nschool library resources alone, according to estimates made \nby the U. S. Office of Education.