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Due to budget reductions, Sandia National Laboratories is considering closing its research library, a facility built by taxpayer funds that is instrumental to the work of scientists in the fields of nuclear weapons and homeland security.

The American Library Association (ALA) opposes this action and urges Sandia to reconsider, proposing instead that a comprehensive study be conducted immediately to determine the potential loss of services to its employees. ALA has sent a letter to Dr. Thomas O. Hunter (PDF), the President and Director of Sandia, voicing specific concerns that should be addressed before any binding decision is made, including, among other factors, the impact of the loss of expertise currently provided by the Sandia research librarians.

The Special Libraries Association (SLA) issued a press release on November 1, 2007, expressing similar concerns in objection to the proposed closing of the Sandia research library, calling the decision short-sighted and dangerous.

Today, the conference report was filed on the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations (Labor-HHS) bill. In an effort to prevent a threatened veto by the President, conferees agreed to combine spending for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Labor-HHS bill.

Despite the extremely tight budget environment, in which many programs were cut significantly or eliminated altogether, the conference report funds the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) at $277,131,000, an increase of $29,926,000. The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) was funded at $224,066,000, with $171,500,000 million for the State Grant program.

This is a major victory for the American Library Association (ALA), which has long advocated for the State Grant program to receive this level of funding. It allows for full implementation of a 2003 law to provide a more equitable distribution of state formula grants. In 2003, all of the states and Congress agreed that the base should be doubled to help even the playing field for the small states, while ensuring that large states don't face an undue burden to achieve that. Currently, all funding increases to the state program go to the base, and not to population increases for the large states.

The conference agreement also includes language that gives IMLS the authority and resources to carry out the mission of the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and includes $400,000 for NCLIS' close-out activities.

The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program also received an increased to $21,243,000.

The President has announced he plans to veto the combined conference report.

Five libraries were among the winners of the 2007 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor for the extraordinary public service provided by these institutions.

In keeping with the 2007 name change to the National Medal for Museum and Library Service (previously known as the National Award), recipient institutions will be awarded a newly-minted medal in recognition of their extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Each organization will also be honored in a special ceremony in Washington, DC, and receive a $10,000 award.

The library winners of the 2007 National Medal for Museum and Library Service are:

1. Georgetown County Library, Georgetown, South Carolina


2. Kim Yerton Branch of the Humboldt County Library, Hoopa,
   California


3. Memphis Public Library & Information Center, Memphis, Tennessee


4. The Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois


5. Ocean County Library, Toms River, New Jersey

"The Institute of Museum and Library Services is awarding the National Medal to these 10 museums and libraries because they provide ground-breaking programs that respond to community challenges, serve as models for the nation's museums and libraries, and most of all make a difference in people's lives. I applaud their good work and encourage others to follow their example," said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

For more information, please see the IMLS press release.