Legislation introduced April 2 in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) would provide $1 billion in federal grants over five years to allow cities, towns, and counties to build, renovate, and modernize public-library facilities. The Andrew Carnegie Libraries for Lifelong Learning Act (S. 671) would also permit the grants to be used for purchasing computer equipment to “provide access to information in electronic and other formats.”
“America’s neglected libraries are crumbling,” Schumer said at an April 16 news conference held at the George F. Johnson Memorial Library in Endicott, New York. “In a modern world where education is the key to success, our libraries are out of date and out of place.”
Schumer was joined by David Karre, executive director of the Four County Library System headquartered in Vestal, New York, who added, “The strength of Sen. Schumer’s proposal is that it provides for renovation as well as new construction, funds to help libraries comply with ADA requirements, and the retrofitting of existing facilities to meet the needs of new technologies.”
According to the April 17 Oneonta Daily Star, Schumer said the federal grants would be awarded competitively and matched by state, city, or charitable donations on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
Posted April 23, 2001.