[Dtb-talk] House Subcommittee mark up of Digital Talking Book Appropriation

[David B Andrews]

I am passing this information along for your information.  It comes
from an ACB list, and represents all I know about this at this
point.  If true, and successful, it probably wouldn't kill the
digital program but it would delay its full implementation and cause
other problems as its effects would cascade through the system.

Dave


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Melanie Brunson" <mbrunson at acb.org>
To: <leadership at acb.org>
Cc: <acb-l at acb.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 4:14 PM
Subject: [leadership] House Subcommittee mark up of Digital Talking
Book
Appropriation


> Hello All,
>
> Just wanted to give you a quick progress report.  The House
> Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch marked up its funding
bill
> today.  Their recommendation to the full Committee on
Appropriations
> will include $7.5 million to the Library of Congress for the
> implementation of the digital talking book program by NLS.  This
is
> less than half of the amount requested by NLS.  The subcommittee
> chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (d-fl) stated that the bill
will
> also include language giving the Librarian discretion to move
some
> funds from other sources if it is deemed appropriate to fund
this
> program.  However, it is not clear whether this discretion would
also
> allow the Librarian to take funds from NLS to fund something
> else.  As of this writing, the actual legislative language is
not
> available, but this is a question we will have to look into.
>
> The full Appropriations Committee will probably consider this
bill
> within a week or so.  That means we have some work to do. 
Members of
> Congress, especially House members on the Appropriations
Committee,
> need to know how important the talking book program is to the
blind
> community.  Please contact your representative if you have not
> already done so.  The transition to digital talking books is not
just
> a nice thing to do to provide more bells and whistles that appeal
to
> techies.  It is a necessity because the cassette players
currently in
> use are no longer being manufactured.  The entire industry is
phasing
> out the cassette.  It is only a matter of time before something
has
> to be done anyway that will enable NLS to adapt to industry
> trends.  Please help us support the continued availability of
talking
> books for the blind.  If you have any questions, please contact
me
> either by email, or by calling the ACB national office.
>
> Melanie Brunson
>
>
>
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David Andrews
Chief Technology Officer
Minnesota State Services for the Blind
2200 University Ave. W., #240
St. Paul, MN  55114-1840
(651) 642-0513  Office
(612) 730-7931  Cell
(651) 649-5927  Fax