<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">Everyone, I thought you might be interested in this message from one of my friends in Texas.  Hopefully, this is not a national trend. Jeanette Daniels Heritage Genealogical College --- On Fri, 1/21/11, Janie Cain <cainrj@sbcglobal.net> wrote: <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> From: Janie Cain <cainrj@sbcglobal.net> Subject: FW: [TX-ETGS] Proposed Texas Budget Demolishes Statewide LibraryPrograms To: "Janie Cain" <cainrj@sbcglobal.net> Date: Friday, January 21, 2011, 6:11 PM <div id="yiv1715934567"> <style>  </style> <div class="yiv1715934567Section1"> Very Interesting and please pass it on…. <div style="border-right: medium none; border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;"> From: Glenda Hayes [mailto:glendakhayes@yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 1:33 PM To: Janie Cain Subject: Fw: [TX-ETGS] Proposed Texas Budget Demolishes Statewide LibraryPrograms </div> <table class="yiv1715934567MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding: 0in;" valign="top"> <div> Janie, </div> <div>  You might want to send this out to our membership.  Scott Fitzgerald is involved with the East Texas Genealogy Society, Van Zandt County Genealogy, the Anderson County Genweb, and is the treasurer of the Texas State Genealogy Society.  It seems the state of Texas is determined to balance the budget on the backs of retired teachers (they are threatened to cut our pensions even though we have not had a raise in 10 years), school children, the poor, and government services that are utilized by the ordinary citizens.  This will effect all libraries, but will really hurt libraries in small communities. </div> <div>  Glenda --- On Thu, 1/20/11, Scott Fitzgerald <scottfitzgerald@tyler.net> wrote: </div> <blockquote style="border-width: medium medium medium 1.5pt; border-style: none none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(16, 16, 255); padding: 0in 0in 0in 3pt; margin-left: 3pt; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;"> From: Scott Fitzgerald <scottfitzgerald@tyler.net> Subject: [TX-ETGS] Proposed Texas Budget Demolishes Statewide LibraryPrograms To: "TSGS Open List" <TX-TEXSTATE-L@rootsweb.com> Cc: "ETGS Mailing List" <TX-ETGS-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 12:04 PM <div> -----Original Message----- From: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc361.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com">txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com</a> [mailto:<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc361.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com">txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com</a>] On Behalf Of Patricia Stephenson Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2011 11:45 AM To: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc361.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=txgen@rootsweb.com">txgen@rootsweb.com</a> Subject: [TXGEN] FW: Proposed Texas Budget Demolishes Statewide LibraryPrograms >From my county librarian: Pat Stephenson Madison County --- On Wed, 1/19/11, Texas Library Association <<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc361.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=gloriam@txla.org">gloriam@txla.org</a>> wrote: Proposed Texas Budget Demolishes Statewide Library Programs The first draft of the State's budget proposal for 2012-13 affects every statewide library program.      The proposal: Eliminates Loan Star Libraries (direct aid grants to public libraries) Eliminates all state funding for TexShare databases (replaces state funding for databases with increased fees to member libraries)  Eliminates the K-12 Database program Eliminates the Library System Negotiated Grants Program (the new competitive grant program started last session for systems) Eliminates state funding for consulting services to libraries (program/staff based at the agency) Eliminates state funding for state depository program and TRAIL program Eliminates state funding for records management (replaces state funding with increased fees) Assumes an overall loss of over $8 million in IMLS funds (Note: federalfunding is the source of funding for the regional library systems, the TANG program, and interlibrary loan.) Eliminates the Technology Allotment at TEA. This budget shows a 99% decrease in state funding for statewide local library aid programs and a 93% state cut to library resource sharing programs at the State Library. Overall, the agency cuts amount to about a 70% cut in state funds and an all funds reduction about a third of the agency's budget.   >From the perspective of investing in communities, helping kids learn, spurring job placement, and maintaining a dynamic infrastructure for research and digital literacy through our libraries, this budget completely fails the people of Texas. The proposed recommendations amount to an abdication of responsibility, vision, and leadership.   For libraries, these recommendations not only potentially destroy almost every facet of critical statewide library services; they speak to a philosophy dismissive of supporting individuals and communities.   While this budget is just the starting point for deliberations, it is a frightening portent of the potential implosion of our state's infrastructure for learning and economic development.   We must not let this stand. It is not just our funding over the next two years that is in danger -- it is the vital understanding of libraries and their role in offering education, providing meaningful and proven support to our economy and institutions of learning, and speaking to a state of vitality.    We need everyone to speak out for libraries. We need every library supporter to inundate their state representative and senator, the Governor, and the Lt. Governor with letters expressing the incredible damage these cuts would cause.We have a long and hard fight ahead of us, but it is one we must undertake. Here is what you can do... 1)      Call your state representative and senator and tell them not to cut library funding. Be prepared to make the case for your library and the impact it has on your community and students.For more information on library programs, see Issues and Taking Action.  2)      Develop an awareness campaign within you community. See the "What My Library Means to Me Campaign." Start marshaling your resources and get your army of supporters mobilized for action. 3)      Inform people around you --  administrators, community powerbrokers, student groups, PTAs. Show them how they can save state funding for libraries. Ask them to speak and write to elected officials. 4)      Participate in Legislative Day. (There is still time to get a hotel room through tomorrow!) 5)      Write letters to the editor; contact your local mediaabout library funding. 6)      Above all: show up for duty!  This is a cause for each and every one of us, regardless of political affiliation.  We all want the same thing - a strong Texas with strong libraries.  If there was ever a time we needed library supporters to be proactive andaggressive in their support for libraries, THE TIME IS NOW.  Fight for our libraries.  Let's not undo a generation of progress! Forward email This email was sent to <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc361.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vrsg68@yahoo.com">vrsg68@yahoo.com</a> by <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc361.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=gloriam@txla.org">gloriam@txla.org</a> |    Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribeT | Privacy Policy. 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