White House on Library and Information Services in 1976, Hearing Before the Select Subcommittee on Education..., 93-1, on H.J. Res. 734 and H.J. Res. 766..., November 29, 1973

WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON LIBRARY AND

INFORMATION SERVICES IN 1976

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1973

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to notice, in room 2257, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. John Brademas, chairman of the subcommittee, presiding.

Members present: Representatives Perkins, Brademas, Grasso, Lehman, Hansen and Peyser.

Staff members present: Jack Duncan, counsel; Christina Orth, assistant to counsel; Gladys Walker, clerk, and Yvonne Franklin, minority legislative associate.

[H.J. Res. 734, 93d Cong., 1st sess.]

JOINT RESOLUTION To authorize and request the President to call a White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1976

Whereas access to information and ideas is indispensable to the development of human potential, the advancement of civilization, and the continuance of enlightened self-government; and

Whereas the preservation and dissemination of information and ideas is the primary purpose and function of libraries and information centers; and Whereas the growth and augmentation of the Nation's libraries and information centers are essential if all Americans are to have reasonable access to adequate services of libraries and information centers; and

Whereas new achievements in technology offer a potential for enabling libraries and information centers to serve the public more fully, expeditiously, and economically; and

Whereas maximum realization of the potential inherent in the use of ad vanced technology by libraries and information centers requires cooperation through planning for, and coordination of, the services of libraries and information centers; and

Whereas the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science is developing plans for meeting national needs for library and information services and for coordinating activities to meet those needs; and

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) the President of the United States is authorized to call a White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1976.

(b) (1) The purpose of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services (hereinafter referred to as the "Conference") shall be to develop recommendations for the further improvement of the Nation's libraries and information centers, in accordance with the policies set forth in the preamble to this joint resolution.

(2) The Conference shall be composed of, and bring together—

(A) representatives of local, statewide, and national institutions, agencies, organizations, and associations which provide library and information services to the public;

(1)

(B) representatives of educaitonal institutions, agencies, organizations, and associations (including professional and scholarly associations for the advancement of education and research);

(C) persons with special knowledge of, and special competence with, technology as it may be used for the improvement of library and information services; and

(D) representatives of the general public.

(c) (1) The Conference shall be planned and conducted under the direction of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission"). All Federal departments and agencies shall cooperate with and give assistance to the Commission in order to enable it to carry out its responsibilities under this joint resolution.

(2) In administering this joint resolution, the Commission shall

(A) when appropriate, request the cooperation and assistance of other Federal departments and agencies in order to carry out its responsibilities; (B) make technical and financial assistance (by grant, contract, or otherwise) available to the States to enable them to organize and conduct conferences and other meetings in order to prepare for the Conference; and

(C) prepare and make available background materials for the use of delegates to the Conference and associated State conferences, and prepare and distribute such reports of the Conference as may be appropriate. (d) A final report of the Conference, containing such findings and recommendations as may be made by the Conference, shall be submitted to the President not later than one hundred and twenty days following the close of the Conference. Such report shall be submitted to the Congress not later than one hundred and twenty days after the date of the adjournment of the Conference, which final report shall be made public and, within ninety days after its receipt by the President, transmitted to the Congress together with a statement of the President containing the President's recommendations wih respect to such report. (e) (1) There is hereby established an advisory committee to the Conference composed of twenty-eight members, appointed by the President, which shall advise and assist the National Commission in planning and conducting the Conference.

(2) The President is authorized to establish such other advisory and technical committees as may be necessary to assist the Conference in carrying out its functions.

(3) Members of any committee established under this subsection who are not regular full-time officers or employees of the United States shall, while attending to the business of the Conference, be entitled to receive compensation therefor at a rate fixed by the President but not exceeding $100 per diem, including traveltime. Such members may, while away from their homes or regular places of business, be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as may be authorized under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons in the Government service employed intermittently.

(f) For the purpose of this joint resolution, the term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(g) There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this joint resolution.

[H.J. Res. 766, 93d Cong., 1st sess.]

JOINT RESOLUTION To authorize and request the President to call a White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1976

Whereas access to information and ideas is indispensable to the development of human potential, the advancement of civilization, and the continuance of enlightened self-government; and

Whereas the preservation and dissemination of information and ideas is the primary purpose and function of libraries and information centers; and

Whereas the growth and augmentation of the Nation's libraries and information centers are essential if all Americans are to have reasonable accsess to adequate services of libraries and information centers; and

Whereas new achievements in technology offer a potential for enabling libraries and information centers to serve the public more fully, expeditiously, and economically; and

Whereas maximum realization of the potential inherent in the use of advanced technology by libraries and information centers requires cooperation through

planning for, and coordination of, the services of libraries and information centers; and

Whereas productive recommendations for expanding access to libraries and information services will require public understanding and support as well as that of public and private libraries and information centers: Now, therefore, be it. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) the President of the United States is authorized to call a White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1976.

(b) (1) The purpose of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services (hereinafter referred to as the "Conference") shall be to develop recommendations for the further improvement of the Nation's libraries and information centers in accordance with the policies set forth in the preamble to this joint resolution.

(2) The conference shall be composed of, and bring together—

(A) representatives of local, statewide, regional, and national institutions, agencies, organizations, and associations which provide library and information services to the public;

(B) representatives of educational institutions, agencies, organizations, and associations (including professional and scholarly associations for the advancement of education and research);

(C) persons with special knowledge of, and special competence with, technology as it may be used for the improvement of library and information services; and

(D) representatives of Federal, State, and local governments, professional and lay people, and other members of the general public.

(c) (1) The conference shall be planned and conducted under the direction of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission").

(2) In administering this joint resolution, the Commission shall—

(3) (A) Each Federal department and agency is authorized and directed to cooperate with, and provide assistance to, the Commission upon its request under clause (A) of paragraph (2); and, for that purpose, each Federal department and agency is authorized to provide personnel to the Commission in accordance with section 3341 of title 5, United States Code. For the purposes of such section 3341 and this paragraph, the Commission shall be deemed to be a part of any executive or military department of which a request is made under clause (A) of paragraph (2).

(B) The Librarian of Congress is authorized to detail personnel to the Commission, upon request, to enable the Commission to carry out its functions under this joint resolution.

(4) In carrying out the provisions of this joint resolution, the Commission is authorized to engage such personnel as may be necessary, without regard for the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive civil service, and without regard for chapter 51, and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates. (5) The Commission is authorized to publish and distribute for the Conference the report authorized under this joint resolution without regard for section 501 of title 44, United States Code.

(6) Members of the Conference may, while away from their homes or regular places of business and attending the Conference, be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as may be allowed under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons serving without pay. Such expenses may be paid by way of advances, reimbursement, or in installments as the Commission may determine.

(d) A final report of the Conference, containing such findings and recommendations as may be made by the Conference, shall be submitted to the President not later than one hundred and twenty days following the close of the Conference, which final report shall be made public and, within ninety days after its receipt by the President, transmitted to the Congress together with a statement of the President containing the President's recommendations with respect to such report.

(e) (1) There is hereby established a twenty-eight member advisory committee to the Conference composed of (A) at least three members of the Commission designated by the Chairman thereof; (B) two persons designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (C) two persons designated by the President pro tempore of the Senate; and (D) not more than twenty-one persons appointed by the President. Such advisory committee shall assist and advise the Commission in planning and conducting the Conference. The Chairman of the Commission shall serve as Chairman of the Conference.

(2) The Chairman of the Commission is authorized, in his discretion, to establish, prescribe functions for, and appoint members to, such advisory and technical committees as may be necessary to assist and advise the Conference in carrying out its functions.

(f) The Commission shall have authority to accept, on behalf of the Conference, in the name of the United States, grants, gifts, or bequests of money for immediate disbursement by the Commission in furtherance of the Conference. Such grants, gifts, or bequests offered the Commission, shall be paid by the donor or his representative to the Treasurer of the United States, whose receipts shall be their acquittance. The Treasurer of the United States shall enter such grants, gifts, and bequests in a special account to the credit of the Commission for the purposes of this joint resolution.

(g) For the purpose of this joint resolution, the term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(h) There are authorized to be appropriated without fiscal year limitations such sums as may be necessary to carry out this joint resolution. Such sums shall remain available for obligation until expended.

Mr. BRADEMAS. The Select Subcommittee on Education of the Committee on Education and Labor will come to order for the purpose of conducting a hearing on House Joint Resolution 766, and related bills, to authorize a White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1976.

The Chair would just observe at the outset that he was pleased to learn, while introducing House Joint Resolution 766, that Congressman Gerald Ford of Michigan had introduced a similar measure, House Joint Resolution 734.

Since that act of enlightened leadership, as we all know, Congressman Ford has been nominated, under the 25th amendment to the Constitution, for the position of the Vice President of the United States.

The Chair hopes that he will not be considered overly partisan in pointing out that if Mr. Ford is confirmed as Vice President, the library community will be assured at least one friend in the administration.

The Chair feels constrained to note that our consideration today of proposals to convene a White House Conference on Library and In

formation Services in the year of the Bicentennial takes place in the context of the most astonishing proposals by President Nixon with respect to Federal assistance to libraries.

I speak, of course, of the President's request in the fiscal 1974 budget that we terminate all Federal aid to libraries in our schools and colleges as well as to public libraries.

Happily, both the House and the Senate have rejected this suggestion on the part of the President, and the Labor-HEW appropriations measure which is now in conference continues these important programs.

That the President could have made such a proposal, however, makes our consideration of a White House Conference on Library and Information Service all the more appropriate.

For it appears to the Chair that such a conference can help stimulate a national debate about the value of libraries and information resources in our society, and it can help, as well, define the appropriate roles of local, State, and Federal Governments in the support of these precious national resources.

The Chair is particularly pleased that we have with us today the distinguished chairman of the full Committee on Education and Labor, who, throughout his service in Congress has been a vigorous champion of libraries and I will yield to the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Perkins, for such comments as he wishes to make.

Chairman PERKINS. Let me compliment our distinguished chairman, Congressman Brademas, chairman of the Select Subcommittee on Education, the subcommittee having jurisdiction over library legislation.

All of you can be very proud that you have a great friend chairing this subcommittee who has always protected your interests and will continue to protect your interests in the future.

I share the concerns expressed by the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Brademas, that there was nothing in the budget from the White House this year for libraries. This was very disturbing, but the Congress did not stand by and let the special message of the President on education be enacted in any form.

In fact, the Congress has totally rejected these recommendations of the President.

I am thankful, Mr. Chairman, that you have called up the White House proposal. The White House conference can serve a useful purpose, especially in times like these when, after libraries have made much progress in past years, proposals are pending to do away with categorical programs and go to a general plan-where the money will go to the State level without being earmarked. These proposals can be thoroughly explored through your White House conference.

Every time a distinguished group of educators-librarians like yourself-get together in a White House conference and sit down at a table and discuss problems and concerns of librarians, I know that something good will come out of it.

More than anything else, you are going to mold a lot of public sentiment in your favor and you are going to help educate a group of people who are not familiar with these concerns and problems. I am sure that sound proposals will come from a conference of this kind because of the legislation Mr. Brademas has introduced. I

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