Sen. Okays School Library Bill

Congress has come a step closer toward approving the first dedicated federal funding for school libraries in two decades. On May 16, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill introduced by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) that would authorize $500 million for local school libraries to buy new books and technology and provide training for librarians.

School library supporters were stunned by the bill's wide margin of approval, which was 69-30 in favor. Only a short time earlier, Reed's proposal had failed in committee by a vote of 10-10. "Can you believe it?" exclaimed Emily Sheketoff, executive director of ALA's Washington office. "We thought we would squeak by with 54 votes"—only a few more than necessary.

Reed's bill was passed as an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), a massive education-funding law now being reauthorized by Congress. Sheketoff, whose office has been lobbying steadily on behalf of the bill, credits its passage to Reed's persistence and to grass-roots support from school librarians.

The next hurdle for the amendment is a House-Senate conference on ESEA, in which representatives of each chamber hash out a final version of the bill to send to the President. Even then, the battle's not over. ESEA only authorizes spending money. Congress then has to decide how much to appropriate.