No Surprises in Fed. FY98 Funding

Staff -- School Library Journal, 12/1/1997

It took a while, but on November 8, Congress finally passed legislation that provides FY98 federal funding for schools and libraries. The budget that went to President Clinton for his signature last month is largely what the 105th Congress earmarked earlier this fall. Schools, thanks to the House of Representatives, can dip into $350 million for school library materials, instead of the $310 million recommended by the Senate for Title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (see News, SLJ, September, p. 97). The Senate, however, was slightly more generous when it came to public libraries. The Senate prevailed with its allocation of $146.3 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), while the House had been willing to dole out only $142 million. Educational technology funding for schools took a huge leap to $541 million, up from $265.8 million in FY97. At press time, details on what those funds can be used for were unavailable.