• Contact your legislators and ask them to please vote for HB6780 to approve the Secretary of State’s FY11 budget, which means preservation of funding at FY10 level and no more cuts.  This budget funds public and school per capita payments, and the funding of the state library and the regional library systems.   If you need contact information click here

• Your message can include information in the article below or your may construct language directly related to your library which is always a good approach when talking with a legislator about issues that affect his/her constituents who are your patrons and families.

• OPTIONAL TALKING POINTS

• The State of Illinois has a statutory obligation to fund Illinois libraries on a per capita formula basis.  The State has consistently underfunded and often cut the amount appropriated to libraries.  At the same time, use of Illinois libraries has increased dramatically.  As a result, Illinois libraries are in crisis.  As the Illinois General Assembly approaches the end of this legislative session and considers passage of the fiscal 2011 State budget, it is imperative that legislators oppose any further cuts to library funding.  Illinois libraries ask the General Assembly to support the Secretary of State’s proposed 2011 budget that includes funding for the State’s per capita funding for public libraries, school libraries and library systems.  While the Secretary’s request is still below the amount necessary to fully fund the statutory formula, it would help stabilize a dire fiscal situation for libraries.

• Once you’ve completed your message, please thank the legislator for considering your request.  Please let the LCLS Advocacy Consultant Judy Rake judyr@lcls.org and let her know that you made contacts and the legislators that you contacted.

On Monday, April 12 from 10-11 am Kip Kolkmeier, the ILA Lobbyist, will discuss library legislative issues. Please let board members know about this session as well.  Kip’s remarks will be available to all by computer.  There’s no need to travel farther than where a computer with Internet access is located.

Kip’s presentation will be delivered on an OPAL website.  Just click here to access it.

If you’ve not participated in an OPAL session before, I suggest that you go to that link before Monday and read the First time participants info on the page and click on the download link so you’ll be ready on Monday to participate fully.  If you don’t want to do the download, you can click on the “click here to access web based conference”–this will allow you to hear Kip’s presentation, but you will not be able to ask questions.

If you have questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact me or any one else at the System.  Our goal is to have the most people participate.