<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,33,41)">The White House has released
their proposed 2021 Federal Budget. Once again, the budget proposes defunding
the Institute of Museums and Library Services as well as other library-eligible
education programs. Those of us who care about libraries and their value for
all citizens will need to step up and begin making contact with their member of
Congress and Senators. </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,33,41)"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,33,41)">ALA encourages
everyone—library workers and library lovers alike—to email their members of
Congress today and urge them to protect library funding in FY 2021. Visit <a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/contact-congress?fbclid=IwAR3iRIhs1zeWmpt8BNVJLFrz92tTxC2iw3tozOr_QyzS4pFpXszYlGJUG0w" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(56,88,152);text-decoration-line:none">http://www.ala.org/advocacy/contact-congress</span></a>,
and follow the conversation at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/fundlibraries?source=note&epa=HASHTAG" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(56,88,152);text-decoration-line:none">#FundLibraries</span></a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,33,41)"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">So far, Representatives Sean Casten and Danny Davis have signed the LSTA funding letter and only Rep. Casten has signed the IAL letter. </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px"><br></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">Please use the link above to send your letters. That way ALA can track the number of letters sent, and what represesntatives have been contacted. It's all online for you and the body of the letter can be edited for your special stories about students and libraries.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px"><br></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">If Rep. Casten or Danny Davis are your reps, please drop them a thank you note. Too often we ask them to do something but forget to thank them when they do it.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px"><br></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">Lou Ann Jacobs</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">AISLE Legislative Advocacy</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font color="#1d2129" face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px"><a href="mailto:Legislation@aisled.org">Legislation@aisled.org</a></span></font></p></div>