State Aid Saved Last Night

Again, this one was down to the wire.  Last night was the last meeting of the budget committee, and they agreed to save State Aid at the minimum needed to retain our federal funds.  It would keep the funding --level-- equal to this year.  This one was really a nail biter and any other scenario would have destroyed public library development in Florida.

Here is what Charlie Parker and the legislative chair sent out at midnight last night.

Thanks to Charlie and every one's hard work.  I know our literacy folks stepped up to help, which we appreciate!

Sandy Newell, VALF President

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State Aid - Budget Chairs Restore State Funding to Public Libraries to $21.2 Million

At midnight the House accepted a Senate offer to restore State Aid to Public Libraries to the current year level of $21.2 million.  When Senate Budget Chair J. D. Alexander made the offer, he asked if "the library guy" with the signs was in the room.  The library guy we all know is Paul Clark who has pretty much lived in the Capitol keeping the issue in front of legislators and the press for 6 weeks.  Senator Alexander was disappointed that Paul wasn't there and said that other advocates could learn a lot from him.

There, working the issue until midnight were FLA lobbyist Chris Lyon, Small County Coalition coordinator Chris Doolan, and whole contingent from the Department of State including Secretary Kurt Browning, lobbyist Rivers Buford III, and John Boynton.  This group barely left the Capitol all weekend long.  Chris Doolan had a very positive impact for us, especially on Sunday morning.  The folks from the Florida Association of Counties, and many county lobbyists have been working the issue aggressively as well.  The Salter>Mitchell pr folks distributed press releases for us at several critical junctures.  FLA's CapWiz wizard, Lisa Manners did an incredible job of keeping the message fresh and for generating over 60,000 messages in the last 6 weeks.  And nothing good happens at FLA without Executive Director Faye Roberts talents and effort.

Thanks to everyone for their incredible efforts and congratulations on the wonderful success!

Charlie Parker -

Using the Internet to Study for the GED Series--Sign Up Today

Sign up today for next Monday's free online webinar on the GED.  The sessions are for program managers, tutors and librarians.  Email literacyflorida@hotmail.com to register.  Provide your name, email, phone number where you will be on Monday and name of your organization.  You will get a link by Monday morning, April 26 to get to the webinar.  You will need a computer and phone to participate.  Plan to sign on by 5:15 p.m. to check out your computer.

Using the Internet to Study for the GED Webinar Series
       Overview of the GED Test  April 26, Monday 5:30 - 7 pm ET 

       GED: Language Arts & Social Studies  May 24, Monday 5:30 - 7 pm ET

       GED: Science & Mathematics   June 21, Monday 5:30 - 7 pm ET

       GED Materials & Online Instruction  July 26, Monday 5:30 - 7 pm ET

These free sessions are presented by Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida (VALF).
      Sandy Newell, President of VALF

Newest on Funding for Libraries

I was right.  The budget conference meets this morning at 8:30 am and will need to reconcil the 1/2 million with 21 million.  Keep up your messages.
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Ok...what I think I heard just now, was that the Senate put in $21 million for libraries....defintely a move forward. They had it at $15 million.  We need the $21 million to stay even.  House is still at a half million.

Keep you messages up and rational on why...they have to stay there. It is so important for development/survival of libraries in Florida...

It all means free library service, free information, access for all... so important!  See more posts below for context.

Sandy Newell

Library State Aid Funding In Trouble

Tonight the Florida House and Senate are going into conference.  State funding for libraries is in serious trouble.  Libraries need the current funding of $21 million just to keep their heads above water.  ANY cut in State Aid will impact the federal dollars too.  This is serious.  Please send out a message to everyone you know to support maintaining the State Aid funding. Libraries are busier than ever and adult literacy groups depend on them.   Here is the link for more information and to send a message online, but you may want to try some different but fast ways to get their attention.  Again, decisions will be made very soon--in a day or so maybe.

 If you want to follow the process, here are links below.  We'll be posting more for context.  Here is the email from the Legislative Chair of the Florida Library Association.
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Public Library & MLC Funding - Legislature's Budget Conference Process


For those interested in watching the House and Senate Transportation and Economic Development (TED) Appropriations Conference Committee’s deliberations which may include discussion of State Aid to Public Libraries and Library Cooperative program funding, that meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 and should be available from the House “Broadcasts” page - http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/HouseCalendar/broadcast.aspx . I checked with the Florida Channel folks and they confirm that they will be covering the conference committee meetings this evening.

At this meeting, the House conferees will offer their initial funding positions and there will likely be some discussion. The session may run late as they have scheduled it from 5:30 midnight. I anticipate that the House position will be posted on the web on the “House Budget Conference Documents Page” - http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/publications.aspx?publicationType=Committees&DocumentType=Budget%20Conference%20Documents&SessionId=64&Session=2010               at some point prior to the meeting.

We are expecting to get bad news when they take up State Aid funding. The current year funding is $21.2 million which is also the federal Maintenance of Effort amount Florida needs to provide in order to be eligible to receive Library Services and Technology Act dollars. The Senate budget included $15 million and the House had a place keeper $500,000 amount. With respect to the Library Cooperatives Program, the House has $1 million, the Senate has $0, and we are requesting $1.2 million, the same amount as this year. Their positions are likely to change this evening.

Thanks for your interest and support!
Charlie Parker –
Chair
FLA Legislative Committee

Latest on Federal Funding for Literacy

ProLiteracy lobbies for federal funding for community based adult literacy programs which Florida's programs really need.   Here is a report on funding from ProLiteracy which we posted on the VALF wiki .http://literacyflorida.wikispaces.com/Announcements  The report gives an update on funding as compared to last year which might be available.

It desribes a meeting ProLiteracy had with the Department of Education's Office of Vocational Assessment & Education (OVAE).  They encouraged DOE to change the grant program so that organizations like  volunteer literacy programs who serve the lowest level learners can compete for grant funds. They recommended that there be greater flexibility to the intensity and duration of instruction provisions and that the National Reporting System is revised to better meet needs of learners at all literacy levels. 

It is very difficult for Florida's communtiy based programs to get federal dollars to serve learners.  It is important that there be changes in the way the federal funding is distributed in Florida.  In these difficult times when program's like Jacksonville's Learn to Read program almost folded--regular funding is vital.  The  Jacksonville Public Library is helping save that program by providing space, but ongoing dollars are needed.

VALF is a member of ProLiteracy.

Florida Library Association Conference Poster Session.

Gina Bingham and Ava Iuliano, VALF student interns, attended the FLA Conference on Friday, April 9th to present a scholarly poster on adult and family literacy programs during times of economic recession and to raise awareness of VALF’s efforts. Outlining the importance of volunteer literacy programs, the effectiveness of peer-to-peer teaching and the skill of volunteer tutors, the poster generated a lot of interest among FLA attendees. Gina and Ava were also able to drum up interest in VLAF’s new student intern program among library science students. If you missed us at FLA, be sure to see us during the Florida Literacy Conference!
Blog post by Ava Iuliano

ALA Committee on Literacy and State Chapters

The ALA Committee on Literacy is making connections with local state associations through ALA Chapter Relations.  If you would like to know more, contact Sandy Newell at snewell@dos.state.fl.us or call 850-245-6624 , past chair of the ALA Committee on Literacy to learn about the work of the committee and how it relates to state associations.