ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries This colum n is b ein g w rit­ te n as N ational Library W eek begins, a n d it cap s a m o n th o f intense activity b y ALA to cap tu re m edia a tten tio n an d stim ulate p u b lic in terest in all ty p es o f libraries at a tim e o f p o te n tia l th re a ts to th e rig h t to k n o w from library b u d g e t cuts, cen so rsh ip , illit­ eracy, a n d restricted access to p u b lic inform ation. Here are a few highlights of ALA ef­ forts with a Washington spin. FOI D ay N ational Public Radio’s Nina Totenberg, C-SPAN fo u n d e r B rian Lamb, a n d N atio n al Security A rchive fo u n d e r Scott A rm strong received the Jam es M adison A w ard sp o n s o re d b y th e Coali­ tio n o n G o v ern m en t Inform ation (COGI). At a recep tio n o n March 16, F reed o m o f Inform a­ tio n D ay a n d M adison’s birth d ate, COGI chair N ancy K ranich (N ew Y ork U niversity Librar­ ies) p re s e n te d th e a w a rd s b e fo re a b o u t 100 observers. T he an n u al aw ards h o n o r those w h o h a v e c h a m p io n e d , p ro te c te d , a n d p ro m o te d public access to g o v ern m en t inform ation an d th e p u b lic ’s right to know . ALA fo u n d e d the 50-m em ber COGI in 1986. Less Access An in d e x e d com pilation o f th e sem iannual u p ­ d ates o f Less A ccess to Less In fo rm a tio n B y a n d A b o u t the U.S. G overnm ent w as released by ALA o n F reed o m o f Inform ation Day, M arch 16. Less Access, p re p a re d b y A nne H ean u e o f th e ALA W ashington Office, is an o n g o in g ch ro n o lo g y d o cu m en tin g a d ecad e-lo n g ero sio n o f public access to g o v ern m en t inform ation. T h e 239- p a g e 1988-1991 c h ro n o lo g y is available for $10 from th e ALA W ashington Office, 110 Mary­ la n d Ave., NE, W ashington, DC 20002-5675. O rd ers m u st b e p re p a id an d m u st include a self-addressed m ailing label. Call fo r A m erica's Libraries F reed o m o f Inform ation Day, M arch 16, also m ark ed th e lau n ch b y ALA P resident Patricia Glass Schum an o f ALA’s “Call for A m erica’s Li­ b raries” cam paign. T he m on th -lo n g cam paign offered A m ericans th e o p p o rtu n ity to d e m o n ­ strate th eir s u p p o rt for libraries, librarians, an d W a s h in g to n H o tlin e C arol C. H e n d e rs o n th e right to k n o w b y calling a to ll-fre e n u m b e r . Calls g en e ra te d nam es o f library supporters to b e shared w ith congressional leaders in o r­ d e r to d em o n strate public s u p p o rt for libraries. Library Legislative D ay P relim in ary re s u lts o f th e “C a ll” c a m p a i g n w e r e scheduled to b e sh ared w ith congressional offices during th e 18th an n u al Library Leg­ islative D ay o n April 7 d u r­ ing N ational Library W eek. Several h u n d re d li­ b r a r y s u p p o r t e r s w e r e g a t h e r i n g f o r a n o rg an ized d ay o f lobbying, w ith the em phasis o n securing fun d in g for federal library an d re­ lated program s. T he d ay ’s events, w hich include briefings a n d a c o n g ressio n al re c e p tio n , are s p o n s o re d b y ALA, th e District o f C olum bia Li­ brary Association, and the Special Libraries Asso­ ciation. Plan to come next year on April 20, 1993! Fellowships a v a ila b le O n e co n crete result o f successful library com ­ m unity lobbying is the large n u m b e r o f library science fellow ships available fo r the 1992-93 academ ic year. C ongress in creased funding for th e H igher E ducation Act Title II-B library ca­ re e r training program — from $651,000 in FY ’91 to $5 m illion in FY ‘92— b e c a u se o f data s h o w ­ ing sh o rtag es o f librarians a n d library faculty. T h e Library Program s O ffice o f th e D ep art­ m en t o f E ducation a n n o u n c e d aw ards to 38 in­ stitutions o f h ig h er ed u catio n to p ro v id e fel­ low ships in library an d inform ation science. T he 73 grants a w a rd e d u n d e r HEA II-B w ill su p ­ p o rt 300 m aster’s, 12 p o st-m aster’s, a n d 104 d octoral fellow ships. A w ardee institutions will b e ab le to provide a stip e n d to e a c h fellow ship stu d en t an d an e q u a l a m o u n t to th e university to co v er th e cost o f providing training a n d w aiving tuition fees. Individuals in terested in HEA II-B fellow ­ sh ip s sh o u ld a p p ly directly to g rad u ate p ro ­ gram s in library a n d inform ation science. For fu rth er inform ation, call th e ED Library Program office at (202) 219-1315. ■ Carol Henderson is deputy director o f ALA's Washington Office, (202) 545-4440; Bitnet:NU_ALAWASH@CUA M ay 1992 / 3 3 7