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ninch-announce: FCC GRANTS 20-60% DISCOUNTS TO SCHOOLS and LIBRARIES

ninch-announce: FCC GRANTS 20-60% DISCOUNTS TO SCHOOLS & LIBRARIES

FCC GRANTS 20-60% DISCOUNTS TO SCHOOLS & LIBRARIES

David Green (david@cni.org)
Wed, 7 May 1997 16:08:03 -0400 

Message-Id: <v0213051caf9685b0014c@[192.100.21.23]>
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 16:08:03 -0400
To: ninch-announce@cni.org
From: david@cni.org (David Green)
Subject: FCC GRANTS 20-60% DISCOUNTS TO SCHOOLS & LIBRARIES

NINCH ANNOUNCEMENT
May 7, 1997

Forwarded issue of the ALA's Washington Office Newsline


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ALAWON                                        Volume 6, Number 32
ISSN 1069-7799                                        May 7, 1997

     American Library Association Washington Office Newsline


ALA WELCOMES FCC DECISION ON DEEP DISCOUNTS FOR LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS;
DISCOUNTS ARE AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
_________________________________________________________________

   ALA WELCOMES FCC DECISION ON DEEP DISCOUNTS FOR LIBRARIES,
       SCHOOLS; DISCOUNTS ARE AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE

The American Library Association commended the unanimous decision
today by the Federal Communications Commission on rules which
provide for significant discounts on a wide range of
telecommunications services for the nation's libraries and
schools.

The new rules mandate discounts ranging from 20 to 90 percent,
with deeper discounts for libraries and schools in rural,
high-cost and low-income communities. The discounts are expected
to provide up to $2.25 billion annually beginning January 1,
1998.

The new FCC rules will ensure that schools and libraries will be
able to afford telecommunications services for students and
library users, giving the flexibility to choose from the most
basic to the most advanced commercially available services.  The
discounted rates address one of the most critical factors
affecting library access   ongoing communications costs.

"For those who have no other access to online information
resources, libraries are the natural access points," said ALA
president Mary Somerville. "These discounts will help the
libraries of the 21st century make information technology a
reality for millions of children and lifelong learners."

Barbara Ford, president-elect of ALA, said that the FCC's rules
incorporate many of the key principles advocated by ALA. "Now
every American can have global reach via local touch at their
library."

Carol Henderson, executive director of the ALA Washington Office,
commended the efforts of  FCC Chairman Hundt, Commissioners
Chong, Ness, Quello and their staffs, and said the final decision
is a victory for libraries and the public they serve.

FCC Commissioner Susan Ness commented that access to information
is the key to jobs and prosperity in the information age and that
this decision will help stop the growing gap between the
information have and have nots.   Libraries and schools were
designated as instruments of universal service eligible for
discounted telecommunications rates in the Snowe-Rockefeller
Amendment to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the first major
rewrite of communications legislation in six decades.

Henderson noted that this historic legislation was characterized
by an unparalleled spirit of bipartisan cooperation, and
acknowledged the dedicated efforts of the sponsors of this
amendment, Senators Snowe (R-ME), Rockefeller (D-WV), Exon
(D-NE), and Kerrey (D-NE), and of the Congress which passed the
legislation.  Henderson also praised President Clinton, Vice
President Gore, Education Secretary Richard Riley and National
Telecommunications and Information Administration Director Larry
Irving for the crucial roles they played in promoting this vital
program.

"We greatly appreciate the hard work and efforts of the FCC and
its staff, the state commissioners, and the Departments of
Education, Commerce, Agriculture and Labor, industry
participants, and others who have participated in this process.
ALA also thanks the many advocates who wrote letters, made calls
and submitted filings to the FCC.  Without everyone's efforts we
would not had this successful rule making," Ford said.

"We look forward to working to make universal service an
effective policy and to assure that the new age of
telecommunications and information becomes a reality for all,"
Henderson added.

The final decision was also welcomed by the Education & Library
Networks Coalition (EdLiNC), of which ALA is a member.

The full text of the decision  is should be available within the
next several days.  ALA will provide further analysis of the
recommendations as soon as they are available.  Preliminary
information on this decision will be available at
http://www.ala.org/oitp/univserv.html.
_________________________________________________________________

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ALA Washington Office                            202.628.8410 (V)
1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403                 202.628.8419 (F)
Washington, DC 20004-1701                        800.941.8478 (V)

Lynne E. Bradley, Editor                        <leb@alawash.org>
Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor  <alawash@alawash.org>

Contributors:                                  Carol C. Henderson
                                                 Andrew Magpantay
                                                    Aleck Johnson

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