ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries May 1991 / 311 Getting connected to the White House Conference through the ACRL Legislative Network by H iram L . Davis Chair, A CRL Governm ent Relations Committee, and M ember, ACRL Task Force on W HCLIS A collective voice from the academic library community is imperative if we are to respond proactively to the forthcoming White House Con­ ference on Libraries and Information Services (WHCLIS) and to the broad range o f governmen­ tal issues confronting academic libraries. A coher­ ent plan of action from the Association will be essential in implementing Conference recommen­ dations for further improvement of library and information services aimed at increasing produc­ tivity, expanding literacy, and strengthening de­ mocracy, as we approach the 21st century. Im petu s fo r a netw ork The ACRL Strategic Planning Document pro­ vides the platform for a national legislative net­ work: Goal III. To promote and speak for the interests of academic and research librarianship; Subgoal B. To monitor and speak out on govern­ ment and private sector activities likely to affect academic and research librarianship, including T he W hite H ouse Conference O n Library A nd Information Services 1991 legislation and fiscal and political support at all levels; Objective 1. Establish ACRL as the associa­ tion with the authority to speak for the academic library profession on issues of importance to higher education and academic libraries; Objective 2. Strengthen membership efforts to affect and influ­ ence government and private sector activities, in­ cluding legislation, funding, and quality higher education. Under this rubric ACRL charged its Government Relations Committee (GRC): “To take a direct and active role in formulating objec­ tives and in planning and coordinating support for legislative action at the national level which may affect the welfare of academic and research librar­ ies.” D evelopin g th e netw ork One of the challenges faced by the GRC was to identify an appropriate model or structure to mobilize the academic community into an effective and responsive network for the profession. It was decided that ACRL, through its 40+ state-wide (Washington Hotline con t fr o m previous p age) legislation to provide a more direct voice for the research and education communities the NREN is intended to serve. He also said that libraries should be included. ALA ACTIONS. A LA ’s statement, submitted for both hearing records, built on the January 16 ALA Council resolution on the NREN and the January 25 Partnership for the NREN policy framework. ALA called for eligibility for libraries, a voice for involved constituencies in network policy, high-capacity network connections with all 50 states, education and training funds, and direct connections to the NREN for at least 200 key libraries and library organizations and dial-up access for multitype libraries within each state. Prime candidates suggested for direct connection (some o f which are already connected to the current Internet) were national libraries, regional depository libraries, state library agencies, library networks, libraries in geographic areas with a scarcity of NREN connections, and libraries with specialized or unique resources. 312 / C&RL News Table 1: ACRL Government Relations Committee Committee Chapter Liaisons (1990/91) Region 1 Henry Mandelsohn, State University o f New York, (518) 442-3698 Cheryl Naslund, Institute for Development Anthropology, (607) 785-0430 Region 2 Patricia Wand, American University, (202) 885-3237 Region 3 Berna Heyman, College of William and Mary, (804) 221-3059 Region 4 Charles Beard, West Georgia College, (404) 832-9458 Region 5 Willie Hardin, University o f Central Arkansas, (501) 450-3129 Region 6 Evelyn Brass, University of Houston Libraries, (713) 749-4762 Kerry Keck, Rice University, (713) 523-2417 Region 7 Hiram Davis, Michigan State University, (517) 355-2341 Linda Kopecky, University of Illinois at Chicago, (312) 996-2738 Wendy Lounge, University of Michigan, (313) 763-1539 Connie Stoner, Shawnee State University, (614) 355-2462 Region 8 Susan Brant, Nicolet Area Technical College, (715) 369-4439 Region 10 Carol Burroughs-Hammond, Arizona State University-West, (602) 543-8504 Region 12 Anthony Angiletta, Stanford University Libraries, (415) 723-1813 Joyce Toscan, University o f Southern California, (213) 740-2931 chapters and state-affiliated associations, already has in place the infrastructure to provide a regional and nationwide academic library network. Each of the sixteen GRC members are to serve as liaison to the ACRL Chapters in the geographical regions they represent. (These regions and GRC member liaisons are listed in tables 1 and 2; for more infor­ mation should contact regional GRC members.) The ACRL Chapters have agreed to support the legislative network. Through Chapters Council and their newsletter Chapter Topics, each Chapter has been asked to assign an individual or a committee responsibility for legislative issues at the federal level. Members of GRC are to take a proactive role in establishing the liaison relationship and encour­ aging the Chapters to address legislative issues of importance to the profession. The GRC recently developed a set of guidelines for committee mem­ bers, outlining liaisons’ and Chapters’ responsibili­ ties and related legislative activities. T h e n etw o rk an d W H C L IS ACRL’s Legislative Network could not have come into existence at a more propitious time. The forthcoming White House Conference will pro­ vide an excellent test o f the effectiveness of the Network. The link between members o f GRC and the ACRL Chapters provides a system for distrib­ uting information on each state’s W HCLIS activi­ ties. Further, it provides a mechanism for coordi­ nating . grassroots responses from the academic library community. Given the relatively small number of academic librarians who are delegates to the Conference, the Network can facilitate and broaden participation. The Conference will pro­ vide the framework for shaping the future role of the Federal Government with respect to support­ ing libraries and information services. The Net­ work will be an important element in alerting members of ACRL to the critical issues regarding federal legislation that may be necessary to ad­ vance C onference recommendations, and in mobilizing the academic community to provide support for legislative action. The success of W H CLIS and the ACRL Legislative Network are inextricably linked; it is essential that academic librarians be connected to both. ■ ■ May 1991 / 313 Table 2: ACRL Legislative Network Map Key— Regions: States 1. CT, MA, NH, RI, VT, NY, ME Canada: New Brunswick, New Found- land, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Eastern Ontario 2. D E , MD, NJ, PA 3. KY, TN, VA, WV 4. FL , GA, NC, SC (no chapter), Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands 5. AL, AR, LA, MS 6. KS, MO, OK, TX 7. IL, IN, MI, OH, Canada: Central Ontario 8. IA, MN, NE, WI Canada: Manitoba, Western Ontario 9. MT, ND, SD, WY (no chapter) 10. AZ, CO, NM, UT, Mexico AK (no chapter), HI, ID, OR, WA Canada: British Columbia Guam, Trust Territories, Samoa 12. CA, NV