United for Libraries presents Public Service Award to Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

For Immediate Release
Tue, 05/09/2017

Contact:

Jillian Wentworth

Marketing/Public Relations Specialist

United for Libraries

jwentworth@ala.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  On May 1, United for Libraries Executive Director Sally Reed presented Sen. Jack Reed (D.-R.I.)  with United for Libraries’ Public Service Award for his support of libraries during a special reception in the Hart Senate office building.

Sen. Reed authored key sections of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and seeks to fix the No Child Left Behind education law that was signed into law nearly 14 years ago.

He also received the Public Service Award in 1994 when he was a representative from Rhode Island. Rep. Reed served in 1992 and 1993 as the original sponsor for the Elementary and Secondary School Library Media bill, argued persuasively for its inclusion in the ESEA reauthorization bill, HR 6, in the subcommittee deliberations, and later in the full committee mark-up, and defended it twice when it was under fire on the House floor.

The United for Libraries Public Service Award is given annually during National Library Legislation Day to a member of Congress who has supported library related issues.  Past awards have gone to Nancy Pelosi, Bernie Sanders, Susan Collins, Richard Durbin, Barbara Boxer, and many others. For more information about the award, visit www.ala.org/united/grants_awards/public_service.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library Trustees, advocates, Friends, and Foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. To join, please visit www.ala.org/united or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161.