February 2015 103 C&RL News

Jazzy Wright is press officer of the ALA Washington 
Office, email: jwright@alawash.org

W a s h i n g t o n  H o t l i n eJazzy Wright

OITP releases 3-D printer policy report
In January 2015, ALA’s Office for Information 
Technology Policy released “Progress in the 
Making: 3D Printing Policy Considerations 
Through the Library Lens,” a new report that 
encourages libraries, as vanguards of the digital 
learning and 3-D printing movement, to take a 
proactive role in developing institutional policies 
that address the social, technological, and politi-
cal complexities that will result from the rise of 
3-D printing. In the report, Charlie Wapner, who 
serves as the Information Policy Analyst of the 
Association’s Office for Information Technology 
Policy, outlines the role 3-D printing now plays 
in libraries and formal centers for learning, and 
analyzes a number of policy issues, including 
copyright, trademark, trade dress, and product 
liability, which may arise from 3-D printing in 
public, school, and academic libraries.

Afterschool funding available through 
states
In late December 2014, Congress passed its 
massive $1.01 trillion CROmnibus bill provid-
ing FY15 funding for much of the federal 
government. For FY15 programs of interest to 
the library community, the CROmnibus pack-
age provided level funding for most programs 
while a small number of programs received 
slight increases or decreases. One example of 
a library program receiving a slight increase is 
the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, 
which received an increase of $2.3 million (0.2 
percent of its budget). 

E-rate order approved 
In December 2014, the Federal Communica-
tions Commission (FCC) approved a landmark 
e-rate modernization order that addresses the 
broadband capacity gap facing many public 
libraries and schools (and therefore school 
libraries). FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler called 
Keith Michael Fiels to thank ALA for our efforts 
and for Marijke Visser’s contributions on behalf 

of libraries during the past 18 months. Following 
the Order vote, Susan Hildreth, director of the 
Institute of Museum and Library Services, and 
Wheeler held a conference call, which was both 
a recognition of the hard work of the ALA and 
a call to action to provide as much information 
to applicants and library leaders as possible.

GPO is now the Government Publishing 
Office
In December 2014, Congress passed an appro-
priations bill that funds the federal government, 
as well as changes the name of the Government 
Printing Office, the federal agency that helps 
to ensure a more transparent government. 
Language in Section 1301 of the funding bill 
renames the Government Printing Office to 
the Government Publishing Office. ALA looks 
forward to continuing to work with the newly 
renamed agency.

ALA leadership visits New York City
In December 2014, an ALA leadership delega-
tion met with executives from Penguin Random 
House, Macmillan Publishers, and Hachette 
Book Group to discuss library ebook issues. 
Additionally, the delegation met with leaders of 
the New York Public Library and Metropolitan 
New York Library Council about digital content 
and other issues. The delegation was led by ALA 
President Courtney Young and the cochairs of 
the Digital Content Working Group, Carolyn 
Anthony and Erika Linke. Also participating in 
the delegation were Sari Feldman, Barbara Strip-
ling, Keith Michael Fiels, and Alan S. Inouye. 

Upcoming ACRL e-Learning
ACRL is offering a variety of online semi-
nars and webcasts this winter. Upcoming 
topics include:

Rethinking the Book Container: Advanc-
ing the Role of the Library as Publisher 
(Webcast: January 21, 2015)

Action Research to Bridge Academic 
Scholarship and Everyday Practice 
(Webcast: February 5, 2015)

Virtual Reference 101 (Webcast: Febru-
ary 19, 2015)

Visit the ACRL e-Learning website at 
www.ala.org/acrl/onlinelearning for 
details.

ranging discussion of the role of the ACRL in 
promoting research and practice in academic 
librarianship. “Putting the ‘Research’ in the 
Association of College & Research Libraries: 
75 Years of College & Research Libraries and 
other ACRL Research Programs” is scheduled 
for Friday, March 27, 8:30–9:30 a.m., in the 
Oregon Convention Center, Room C123-124 
(but check your program for any updates to 
the location). 

“C&RL Spotlight” (continued from page 102)