American Recovery and Reinvestment Act : Stimulus in New York State

A quarterly report by Governor David A. Paterson's Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Cabinet was issued in August. "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Stimulus in New York State" provides an overview of projects, with charts and data, involving Job Training, Transportation, Clean Water, Housing, Energy, and Public Safety.

This report is available online HERE (pdf) and follows (chronologically if not bibliographically) reports from the New York State Inspector General's Stimulus Oversight Panel which are available HERE.

Message from the State Librarian -- Update #4

Please feel free to share this update and to pass it along to anyone! This June 19 update and past updates are posted on the New York State Library’s website at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/about/statelibrarian.htm

Legislative Sausage: The famous quote clearly is correct. The two (2) things that one should never watch being made are sausage and law. The grinding process has at least stopped for the moment in the State Senate. The Senate has abolished all of its committees, except for the Rules Committee. Many closed door meetings are the symbol of this part of government not working. The State Assembly has however not slowed its pace of work. A new Chair, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (Ithaca) has
been appointed for the Library & Educational Technology Committee. We welcome her to this very important legislative/public policy position. Yesterday the Academic Research Information Act (ARIA) passed the Assembly. ARIA has been promulgated by the New York State Higher Education Initiative (NYSHEI). Though this has no funding connected with it at this stage, it serves as a future "vessel" to support database acquisition in science, technology and medicine using state economic development resources. I, of course, want the State Library to play a greater role in the database resources area and this is a good beginning. (More about this later). The ARIA legislation still requires Senate approval and the Governor’s signature.

The funding for the State Library (and the larger Office of Cultural Education which also includes the State Archives, State Museum and Public Broadcasting) is precarious. Legislation (A.6783-A/S.3640-A) to raise the fees that support the Cultural Education Fund is still in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and was in the Senate Codes Committee. The Senate Committee is gone. Its Ranking Member Senator Dale Volker told us earlier this week that he would support the bill. The New York State Trial Lawyers Association has gone on record in opposition, but we
have now negotiated a compromise with them which should permit this legislation to move forward. There is still significant legislative opposition to raising fees of any sort but we are hopeful nonetheless.
The Cultural Education Fund is now bankrupt! The fund balance is -$400,000 and sinking. The State Division of the Budget has not granted any approvals for spending of special revenue funds since April 1st. We are just holding on. This legislation is vital. Stay tuned.

Congratulations: It is no easy feat to be selected by LIBRARY JOURNAL as Library of the Year! Kudos to the Queens Library, under the leadership of Tom Galante, and his great staff, trustees, and library patrons. You make every New Yorker proud of our library traditions with such an important honor.

Also, kudos to the three library systems in New York City for their leadership and successful advocacy in averting the proposed draconian cuts in city support for Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library and the Queens Library.

Summer Reading: The 2009 New York State Summer Reading program is in full swing. ‘Be Creative @your library’ is the theme for kids and "Express Yourself@your library" is the theme for teens. With so many families facing tough economic times, we are expecting participation to exceed last year’s fantastic 1.5 million. We can all help to keep kids reading over the summer months. Check it out at www.summerreadingnys.org. New York’s goal for 2012 is 1.8 million participants. And remember that summer reading is not only for kids. Do you have a summer reading program!? Linda Fairstein has some great biblio-mysteries and pays tribute to The New York Public Library and its Andrew Mellon Director David Ferriero in her latest book, Lethal Legacy. Please tell me if you read any great books this summer that I should
put on my list. Maybe a master list of good reads selected by New York librarians is in the future.

Broadband and Federal Stimulus Funds: We are awaiting the formal release of the "Notice of Funds Availability" for the two primary federal broadband funding programs being administered by the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture. Notice is expected by the end of June. I hope that we can consider a statewide proposal to secure funds for many libraries. We are working within the State Education Department and are in discussion with the State’s Chief Information Officer Melodie
Mayberry-Stewart as well. If you have shovel or shelf-ready projects, get them ready. We were fortunate to host, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a Broadband Summit which brought together 250 people from many parts of the state. Participants included librarians, trustees, economic development people, regulators, suppliers, public policy makers and others. You will be hearing more about this
initiative as we roll-out the results and use the great input to develop a plan to support (fund) broadband access for libraries. You can visit online at www.opportunityonline.org to see some of the Summit programs. The programs were all based on the theme: "The Magic of Broadband". The eligible libraries which participated will be considered for
matching grants to improve their broadband access to at least 1.5 mbps. We have about 85 libraries which will be eligible for funds. If you are interested in helping with this effort to enable libraries in every community across the State provide high-speed broadband connectivity for their customers, please send an email to bband@mail.nysed.gov.

Educational Technology: The State Education Department is welcoming comment on a new Educational Technology Plan. Feedback is welcomed as the Department builds-out a new Office headed by Larry Paska. Feedback is welcomed at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/edtech/. It is my hope that all librarians and library staff from K-12 schools, colleges and universities, public libraries and special libraries will review and
comment on this plan. It is a great chance for everyone to see the interconnections of technology in the traditional pre-K to 12 learning environments with those in the lifelong learning and higher education worlds. Do not miss this chance to comment. All types of libraries and library systems have an important stake in this.

Databases: In my travels around the state over the past five months, I have begun to talk about my vision of a comprehensive information system. I have been calling this NYSCIS for the: New York State Comprehensive Information System. I have pictured some type of wonderful winged animal representing this concept of a wide array of database resources being delivered to everyone, everywhere in New York.
A target of 1,000 commercial databases is not too outrageous for us to contemplate. This, of course, would require state financial resources, as well as contributed resources from the library community. It will require some new ways of equipping those we serve with tools for access and productive use. It will require public education and it will require everyone to see the value of quality information resources being essential for public prosperity, public safety and public health. I
look forward to talking with many more people in the library community about this concept. Your ideas about how we can build on NOVELny and its success in resource delivery as the foundation for NYSCIS is welcomed. My thanks to Sandy Stone, Orchard Park Middle School Librarian; Mary Zdrojewski, School Library Media Specialist, Sinclairville Elementary School and Melissa Morton, Library Assistant,
Chautauqua Lake Central School District who along with 30 other colleagues sent me beautiful postcards expressing thanks for the NOVELny databases, especially the addition of the Grolier database. I will not embarrass everyone who writes or e-mails me by listing your names, but I do welcome and appreciate your feedback and ideas.

New York State Research Library: At 20 million items strong, the New York State Library is an amazing resource. Staff have been engaged in a work group looking at increasing hours of public service. The focus is opening on Saturdays and a staff survey has just been completed so that we can assess some of the best ways to implement this service expansion. I look forward to swinging the doors open on Saturdays very soon. If you have ideas to help us through this transition, please share them with me or Loretta Ebert, Director of the Research Library
(lebert@mail.nysed.gov).

Update: There are many more activities to share. My travels around the state have given me a chance to meet many of you, to hear your thoughts and to share some of my thoughts and observations with you. I have heard that many of you are appreciating these occasional updates and I want to assure you that it is my plan to continue these in the future. If there are issues or topics that you would like me to address please do not be shy about contacting me. And...please read a few good books this summer.

Bernard A. Margolis
State Librarian
New York State Library

ALA files comments to FCC on development of national broadband plan

This week, the American Library Association ALA comments before the FCC in response to a Notice of Inquiry on the development of a national broadband plan (as required by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009).

In their comments, they argue that America’s libraries are uniquely situated to deliver on the Commission’s goals for the plan.

You may view the latest post here.

Stimulus Watch

"StimulusWatch.org was built to help the new administration keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly, and to hold public officials to account for the taxpayer money they spend. We do this by allowing you, citizens around the country with local knowledge about the proposed "shovel-ready" projects in your city, to find, discuss and rate those projects. These projects are not part of the stimulus bill. They are candidates for funding by federal grant programs once the bill passes."

On each page are the "shovel-ready" projects the mayors of the states "submitted in the 2008 U.S. Conference of Mayors report. You can click on a project to read (and add to) its description. You can also discuss the project and vote on whether you believe it is critical or not."

Update on ARRA

From: Jeffrey W. Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education

This is another in a series of updates related to State funding for education and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Please visit http://usny.nysed.gov/arra/ to read the latest memo, issued April 10, from the New York State Education Department.

An archive of the Department webcast on State funding for education and the ARRA held April 6 is also available on this site. The questions submitted both during and in advance of the webcast are being used in the development of an FAQ document. Please continue to submit your questions on the ARRA as it relates to education to the dedicated mailbox at arra@mail.nysed.gov .

ALA files comments on Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Library Association (ALA) submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), defining the position of libraries on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

ALA files comments to FCC on rural broadband strategy

From the ALA Washington Office

On March 25, the ALA Washington Office filed comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to the commission’s request for comments on a rural broadband strategy.
This opportunity gave ALA a platform to communicate how libraries can play a pivotal role in helping rural areas achieve the connectivity levels needed for tangible economic, educational and social growth.
The ALA’s filing outlined the following four recommendations:
·Develop and support the library’s role as the information hub
in rural communities
·Recognize public libraries as an essential source of lifelong
learning opportunities in rural communities
·The FCC should encourage the deployment of fiber to public
libraries
·Simplify the E-rate process
Additionally, ALA explained that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 provides the funding for the initial investment of build-out of broadband infrastructure. Existing federal programs, such as the E-rate program, assist with the day-to-day sustainability of that investment. Both of these tools are necessary to create the advanced broadband network envisioned by the ARRA’s authors.

Governor David A. Paterson’s Recovery Cabinet to Hold Broadband Stimulus Information Session

March 30, 2009, 1pm – 3pm
Clark Auditorium, Cultural Education Center
Empire State Plaza, Concourse Level
Albany, NY

Governor David A. Paterson’s Recovery Stimulus Cabinet is conducting Information Sessions across the State regarding the provisions of the Recovery Bill. An Information Session on the Broadband Provisions of the Recovery Bills will be jointly hosted by NYS Chief Information Officer and New York State Office for Technology (CIO/OFT) and the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC). Come hear about the Broadband Initiatives funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (“Stimulus”) of 2009. Learn how these provisions align with Governor David A. Paterson’s Universal Broadband Strategy for New Yorkers. This meeting is intended for members in the broadband service provider community, digital literacy training community in the public and private sectors, local/county/state entities, not-for-profit organizations, foundations, schools, community technology centers, libraries and other organizations who provide either Internet services or digital literacy and consumer education programs.

Hear about the two main broadband programs: Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and the Rural Utilities Services Broadband provisions of the Stimulus Bill. Included in the session will be a question and answer segment. Please email your questions no later than 48 hours before the session begins to broadbandstimulus@cio.state.ny.us to enable a productive session.

Invited Parties Include:
· State and local officials and agencies interested in extending Broadband access to their unserved and underserved urban and rural communities;
· Not-for-profit organizations interested in deploying Broadband access to the populations they serve;
· Libraries, educational and research institutions, foundations or digital literacy education programs interested in building out broadband infrastructure or providing digital literacy training programs to increase broadband demand and adoption; and
· Broadband service providers interested in partnering with other public and private organizations and companies to accelerate the build out of broadband infrastructures and training programs which will create jobs.

To Make A Reservation: Please make your reservation to attend by sending an email to: broadbandstimulus@cio.state.ny.us . With limited space, the state is asking each organization to limit the number of attendees to no more than four, as a courtesy, to allow more organizations to participate in the first of a series of information sessions.

For Additional Information and Stimulus Resources: Please continue to monitor Governor David A. Paterson’s Recovery website at: www.recovery.ny.gov. Mail your prepared questions to broadbandstimulus@cio.state.ny.us or use the toll free broadband stimulus number at 1-866-322-5787.

ARRA Update

nformation on stimulus funding for NEA now available online '

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes $50 million for the
National Endowment for the Arts. The first two grants funded by the ARRA of
interest to libraries were posted on Grants.gov yesterday.

For more information and link to the grant announcements, go to the "What
librarians should know about ARRA" section on www.ala.org/knowyourstimulus.

Federal Stimulus Package TOWN HALL FORUM

FIND OUT
• How your community can benefit from the Stimulus Package
• What projects are eligible for funding
• Job and Business Opportunities

WHEN & WHERE
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
6-8 PM @ The College of St. Rose
Touhey Forum
Thelma P. Lally School of Education
1009 madison avenue, albany, NY

RSVP
Please contact the office of
Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith at: (212) 298-5585

Other meetings across the state listed here.

FTC Warns Consumers About Economic Stimulus Scams

The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers that they could get stung by an economic stimulus scam. The scams come in different forms.

Right now, on the Web and in e-mail, scammers are telling consumers they can help them qualify for a payment from President Obama’s economic stimulus package. All they have to do is provide a little information or a small payment.

E-mail messages may ask for bank account information so that the operators can deposit consumers’ share of the stimulus directly into their bank account. Instead, the scammers drain consumers’ accounts of money and disappear. Or bogus e-mail may appear to be from government agencies and ask for information to "verify" that you qualify for a payment. The scammers use that information to commit identity theft. Some e-mail scams don’t ask for information, but provide links to find out how to qualify for funds. By clicking on the links, consumers have downloaded malicious software or spyware that can be used to make them a victim of identity theft.

Webcast: Economic Stimulus Scams.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009. This legislation provides a nearly $800 billion boost to the American Economy.

New York's Guide to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act can found at www.economicrecovery.ny.gov. The web site includes details about the $24 billion spending plan, Cabinet members, press releases, and an email update request form.

U.S. Education Secretary Announces State-by-State Dollars

The U.S. Department of Education posted on-line state-by-state estimates of new education revenues included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan vowed to release a significant share of the $100 billion in funding in time to avert teacher layoffs.

The Economic Stimulus Bill: How It Could Affect You

Here's a description from About.com which is both comprehensive and comprehensible.

IRS info re: the economic stimulus package

The IRS has created a FAQ page regarding the economic stimulus package.