E R \%/.2 TB’ $1042“? .2 A 9 .) _.. uh; _,,._.§ E . » K.-‘fill «:1 A-:~*_~*~;-w no rs « O Issue Briefi....:3€é,:%E“'w§°V 17 ‘ LIB §?;z‘3§RlES9 53'3". LQUES, "2 E CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE unavm Qt I9\iii§.駣$ui9fi91 Eéiin 5'3333¥3=»F lilllllIlllllllllllllliflllHlfilllllhlilWIIWIIIIWIIII . O10-1 0393979 I I I I i 4 ‘ i 1 LIBRARY SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION ACT: 97TH CONGRESS REAUTHORIZATION AND APPROPRIATIOMS ISSUE BRIEF NUMBER IBBIOS4 AUTHOR: Wolfe, Mark Education and Public welfare DiViSiOI'1 THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE MAJOR ISSUES SYSTEM DATE ORIGINATED D4/o7/81 DATE UPDATED O6/lO/82 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL 287-5700 0614 CRS- 1 IB8l064 UPDATE-06/lO/82 ISSUE DEFINITION The Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) is the major source of Federal support for public libraries. It provides financial assistance to States through formula grants for the purposes of increasing access to public library services for certain under-served groups, improving library administration, and providing assistance to metropolitan libraries. The LSCA was extended through FY84 under the Omnibus Mfiudget Reconciliation Act of 1981. Debate concerning the LSCA program in the 97th Congress is likely to focus on the President's FY83 budget request to terminate funding for the program. BACKGROUND AND POLICY ANALYSIS The Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) provides financial assistance to States through formula grants for the purpose of increasing access to public library services to certain under-served groups and strengthening urban resource libraries. Under-served groups are defined by law to include persons who are handicapped, disadvantaged, limited English-speaking, and those living in State-supported institutions. In FY81, $75 million was appropriated for the LSCA programs, which accounted for 5% of total funding for public libraries, versus 7% from the States and 88% from localities. At present, public library services, as reported by the Department of Education, are available to about 30 million disadvantaged, 5 million limited English-speaking, 1.2 million physically handicapped, and 723,000 institutionalized persons. F0111‘ titles Of the LSCA authorize program assistance. TITLE I -- PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES Title I authorizes formula grants to States to extend library services to under-served groups, strengthen the capacity of the. State library administrative agency, and administer the State plan. The State grant formula authorizes an allotment of $200,000 to each State, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico (all territories excluding Puerto Rico receive a flat grant of $40,000), with the balance distributed on the basis of total population. To receive their title I grant, States must fulfill certain matching, maintenance of effort, and planning requirements. Title I is a matching grant program: a State must provide from 33% to 66% (except for the territories where the Federal shape is 100%) of the total (State and Federal) funds used for title I purposes, depending on its personal income per capita relative to the national average. States, under the maintenance of effort provisions, must spend at least the same amount from State and local sources for public libraries (including specifically the same amount for such services as they did for handicapped and institutionalized persons) during the second preceding fiscal year. In addition, for any fiscal year in which the total appropriation for title I exceeds $60 million (as was the case in FY79-81), States with cities of population of 100,000 or more must use a miniuum proportion of their grant (from the appropriation in excess of $60 million) for urban resource libraries. This minimum proportion for urban resource libraries is the lesser of 50%, or the percentage which urban CRS- 2 IB8lO64 UPDATE-O6/lO/82 population constitutes of the total State population (urban population her defined as population in cities of l00,000 or more). States can only receiv the urban resource funds if they agree to allocate from State and local sources at least as much as they provided during the previous fiscal year for such libraries. Access to public libraries, according to the American Library Association, has increased from 84% of the pbpulation in l965, when the LSCA program was first enacted, to 94% of the population in 1976. A recent evaluation prepared for the Department of Education (ED) reported that it might not be feasible to extend library services to the remaining 6% of the population because they either live in areas with an inadequate local tax base, or related to this, in areas too sparsely populated to support a library program. [SOURCE: An evaluation of title I of the Library Services Act, Chapter 7, Applied Management Corporation. Silver Spring, Maryland. January 1981. The ED study also reported that about 36% of all title I funds are currently being used to support services for groups specifically targeted by the legislation, with the remaining funds being used to support services for the general public (50%), administration (2%), or to strengthen State, local, and municipal libraries (l2%). TITLE II -= PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION Title II authorizes formula grants to States for the construction or renovation of library buildings. There has been no funding for title I since FY73. TITLE III -- INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION Title III authorizes formula grants to States for the coordination of information services between libraries, so that users of one library may draw upon the services of all libraries. Each State receives a minimum grant of $40,000 with the remaining funds distributed by total population. In FY81, $l2 million was appropriated for this program. The title III legislation does not contain any matching or maintenance of effort requirements. TITLE IV -- OLDER READER SERVICES Title IV authorizes grants to States for library services for the elderly. It has never been funded. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY Federal efforts to support.libraries began in l956 with the passage of the Library Services Act (P.L. 84-597) which authorized assistance to States to provide library services in inadequately served rural areas. The Act was amended five times during the 1960s to include assistance for urban areas construction, interlibrary cooperation, . and for handicapped an- institutionalized persons. The name of the Act was also changed (in l964) to "The Library Services and Construction Act-" The 1970 amendments to the LSCA (P.L. 91-600) authorized funds to CRS- 3 IB8lO64 UPDATE-O6/lO/82 strengthen metropolitan public libraries, required States to submit 5-year plans, and consolidated the Act into three titles -- Library Services (title I), Public Library Construction (title II), and Interlibrary Cooperation (title III). The Act was amended in 1973 by the Older Americans Act to add a new Title IV -- Older Reader Services -- and by the Arts and Humanities Amendments of l973 to enlarge the definition of public libraries to include research libraries meeting certain criteria. In l974, the Act was amended to include services to areas with high concentrations of limited English-proficient persons. The Act was last reauthorized in I977 by the Library Services and Construction Act amendments, P.L. 95-123. This Act authorized the program through FY82 and included the current law maintenance of effort requirements, and the requirement for one-half of additional funds to be spent for urban libraries in any fiscal year the appropriation for title I exceeds $60 million. ; THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SERVICES The White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services (authorized by P.L. 93-568), which took place in November I979, recommended new Federal library legislation to replace the LSCA. The purpose of the proposed legislation would be to "insure that library and information services are adequate to meet the informational, cultural, educational, and personnel development needs of the people of the United States." The proposal recommended that the current Federal role in aiding public libraries be broadened to include: I) establishment of an Office of Assistant Secretary for Library Services within the Department of Education to administer all Federal library and related programs, and to carry out certain research and dissemination activities; 2) authorization of four separate formula grant programs to States for (a) planning, developing, and maintaining public library collections, data bases, and network systems; (b) extending and improving public library services to urban and rural areas with high concentrations of low-income families and for the functionally illiterate and limited English-proficient; (c) linking public library services to educational, cultural, and informational programs for public and private nonprofit groups; (d)administering the State—wide plan for libraries, personnel development, and preservation of historical records and documents; and 3) authorization of grants to the Department of Interior to provide library services on Indian lands. The National Library and Information Services Act (S. 1859), which incorporated many of the recommendations of the White House Conference, was introduced in the 96th Congress; no legislative action, however, was taken on this measure. RELATED LIBRARY PROGRAMS CRS- 4 , IB8l064 UPDATE-06/l0/82 The Federal Government also provides assistance to public libraries primarily through two other programs. The first is Instructional Resourca (title IV-B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act), which authorizes formula grants to States for distribution to school districts to purchase library resources, instructional materials, and for minor remodeling. In FY81, $161.0 million was appropriated for title IV-B. The second is College and Research Library Assistance, and Library Training and Research (Title II of the Higher Education Act), which authorizes grants to institutions of higher education and to library organizations to: (a) acquire library resources; (b) encourage research and training in librarianship; (c) strengthen research library resources; and (d) provide for the establishment of a National Periodical System. In FY81, $4,988,000 was appropriated for Part A, $1,167,000 for Part B, $6.0 million for part C, none for part D. (No funds are authorized to be appropriated for part D unless the appropriation for each of parts A, B, and C equals or exceeds the amount appropriated for each part respectively for FY79.) Both title IV-B and title II, along with the LSCA program, are administered by the Office of Libraries and Learning Technologies within the U.S. Department of Education. Federal assistance could also be provided to public libraries under the General Revenue Sharing legislation. Data, however, are not supplied by the States to the Federal Government listing the amount of such funds distributed to public libraries. The Library of Congress also provides some technical assistance to publi libraries through the compilation of bibliographic data, sales of catalog cards and technical publications, and by dissemination of information concerning techniques, methods, and new developments in book restoration and preservation. The Library is not authorized to provide grant assistance to public libraries. REAUTHORIZATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION ACT In the 97th Congress, S. 1431, the National Library and Information Services Act, was introduced by Senator Stafford to replace the current Library Services and Construction Act. Other bills will probably be introduced in the 97th Congress Ito reauthorize the Library Services and Construction Act or to provide some alternative public library services proposal. Prior to passage of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35), the Library Services and Construction Act was due to expire in FY82. However, P.L. 97-35 has authorized appropriations for the Library Services and Construction Act programs through FY84. Although the expiration date has been extended, oversight hearingsrwill take place in the 97th Congress and it is probable that some proposals in addition to S. 1431 will be generated in conjunction with the process of oversight. S. 1431 (the bill is identical to S. 2859 introduced in the 96th Congress by Senator Javits) authorizes appropriations for public library services for FY83 through FY87. The bill replaces the Library Services and Constructio Act. The bill's Declaration of Purpose states that it is the intent of th bill to expand the national library network concept espoused by the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA). Many of the major provisions of S. 1431 are similar to current law. Title I of the new proposal is essentially an expansion of Title III of LSCA, Interlibrary Cooperation, which under the CRS- 5 IB8lO64 UPDATE-O6/10/82 new proposal includes development.and maintenance of library and information networks nationwide. Title II of S. 1431, Public Library Services, coincides with Title I of the Library Services and Construction Act, except "that the new proposal has an additional title, Title IV, which serves as an adjunct to Title II and addresses the library needs of special populations. Title III of S. 1431 coincides with Title II of current law, Public Library Construction, but the bill expands the uses of funds for library construction to include conversion of various existing structures into libraries. S. 1431 contains a new Title V, Grants to States for Planning and Development, which has no exact equivalent in current law. The purpose of Title V is to strengthen the State library agency and to aid» a national library program through staff development and in-service training for local library personnel. FY81 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35) The FY81 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act authorized about the same appropriation levels, for Federal libraries programs for FY82-84, as was appropriated in FY81, with the exception of ESEA Title IV-B which was consolidated as part of the new education block grant. The authorization levels for LSCA Title I and Title III were slightly increased from $62.5 to $65 million, and $12.5 to $15.0 million respectively. Authorization levels for HEA Title II parts A, B, and C were unchanged from their FY81 appropriation level. APPROPRIATIONS HISTORY Appropriations for LSCA have increased from $49.0 million in FY75 to $62.5 million in FY81 for title I and from $2.6 million in FY75 to $12 million in FY81 for title III. No funds have been appropriated for title II since FY74; no funds have ever been appropriated for title IV. ,FY82 BUDGET REQUEST President Reagan's FY82 revised budget request, as shown in Table 1, would reduce the appropriation level specifically for the LSCA, Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and Higher Education Act (HEA) library programs from $247.7 million in FY81 to $58.2 million in FY82. The reduction would occur as a result of the consolidation of ESEA Title IV—B as part of the new education block grant authorized under Chapter 2 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA), enacted in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35), and by reducing the appropriation level for Title I of the LSCA from $62.5 million in FY81 to $41.3 million in FY82. (Under the block grant, ESEA IV-B and over 40 other programs were consolidated into a single grant to States which could be used for library resources or other purposes.) The budget also recommends zero funding for title II-A of the HEA in FY82 because the program "provides equal grants to virtually all institutions of higher education in the nation, thereby reducing the award to an insignificant level." H.R. 4560, the FY82 Labor-HHS appropriations bill, as passed by the House, would maintain appropriations at the same level as made in FY81 for Title I and III of LSCA and Title II-C of HEA. Funds would be reduced for Title II—A of the HEA and eliminated for Title IV-B of ESBA which was consolidated as part of the education block grant. CRS- 6 IB8l064 UPDATE-06/l0/82 H.R. 4560, the FY82 Labor-HHS appropriation bill, as reported by th Senate (S.Rept. 97-268), would provide the same level of appropriations for LSCA programs and for Title II, Part C of HEA, as provided under the House version of H.R. 4560, but would not provide funds for Part A or Part B of HEA. As stated in S.Rept. 97-268, funds would not be provided for Part B because "the program directs relatively small grants to virtually all institutions of higher education in the Nation without any measure of need" or for Part C because "budgetary considerations necessitate reducing or eliminating programs which do not provide direct services." 4-:5" P.L. 97-l6l, Fourth Continuing Resolution& for FY82, provides, throughr Sept. 30, I982, the lesser of the House or Senate versions of H.R. 4560, minus 4% for public libraries programs. In instances such as Part A and Part B of HEA where no funds were provided under one version of H.R. 4560, the appropriation rate is the lesser of that provided in the one version on the FY81 level. P.L. 97-l6l replaced P.L. 97-92 (Third Continuing Resolution for FY82), which expired on Mar. 3l, 1982. » TABLE 1. level Program LSCA--Title I Title III CRS* 7 IB81064 UPDATE-06/l0/82 Comparison of FY82 Administration revised budget request, versions of H.R. 4560, Act, and P.L. 97-92, for FY82 ESEA--Title IV-B HEA--Title II Part A Part B Part C TOTAL Program LSCA--Title I Title III ESEA--Title IV-B HEA--Title II Part A Part B Part C TOTAL (in $ millions) FY81 Appropriation (P.L. $ 62.5 12.0 161.0 $247.7 FY82 H.R. 4560 (House) $ 62.5 12.0 97-12) FY82 President's Budget,Request 41.3 10.6 58.2 FY82 H.R. (Senate) 62.5 12.0 with the House-passed and Senate-reported FY82 Labor-HHS Appropriations Fourth Continuing Resolution for library programs with the FY81 appropriation FY82 4560 60.0 11.5 .L. 97-161 CRS- 8 IB8lO64 UPDATE°O6/10/82 FY83 BUDGET REQUEST The President's FY83 budget recommended zero funding public library programs "as part of the Administration's attempt to curb inflationary pressures through reducing government spending....The strategy is based on the recognition that State and local governments are in a better position to assume responsibility for basic library services and that other public and private sources of funds can be made available to support the other efforts". As yet, no congressional action has been taken.on this request. ISSUES One of the issues concerning the reauthorization and funding of the LSCA program is the direction and scope of the Federal role in supporting public libraries. Some have argued that the current program should not be reauthorized because it provides too small a portion (about 5%) of total library funding to make a significant difference to the overall operations of public libraries. Opponents of Federal library assistance have also argued that the primary goal of the LSCA program to extend library services to all parts of the country has been largely achieved, with 94% of the population currently having access to such services. They argue that further efforts to‘ increase the proportion of the population receiving library services would not be cost-beneficial, since the unserved generally live in very sparsely populated areas. On the other hand, proponents of Federal aid' have argued that while library services are generally available, service for those wh are handicapped, limited English—speaking, and disadvantaged are not adequately available, and therefore the LSCA program should be continued and focused even more than at present on increasing access to library services among those with special needs. Advocates for increased Federal assistance for public libraries have argued that since library resources are being used’ increasingly for those with special needs, i.e., handicapped, functionally illiterate, and limited English=proficient individuals -- Federal funds should be increased to cover these costs. Those favoring a reduction in Federal library assistance have argued that in a time of diminishing Federal resources, public libraries, being primarily the responsibility of State and local government, should absorb substantial reductions in their level of Federal support. Proponents of aid have countered that Federal funds should not be reduced, because State and local governments, operating under their own fiscal constraints, are unlikely to replace lost Federal aid, and the result would be a net reduction in resources for an important public service. Advocates of continuing Federal assistance have argued that public libraries are of low priority in State and local budgets ‘because they are often not perceived as "essential services" (i.e., police or fire services), and therefore that they should be able to absorb a reduction in assistance with no resulting harm to the community. The proponents of Federal aid tend to feel that State and local governments therefore "under-value" public library services, especially in areas of relatively low wealth, and that th stimulus of Federal matching funds is required to provide quality librar_ services. Proponents argue that the adoption of the same information systems (networking) nationwide would aid in improving service in some libraries now CRS- 9 « IB8lO64 UPDATE-O6/10/82 falling short of minimum library standards. A similar argument was made at the time of passage of the Education Amendments of 1980 which authorized a feasibility study for a National Periodicals Center (Title II-D, Higher Education Act). Shared resources require cooperation among libraries. It may well be, however, that States could form such a coalition without Federal support. Finally, those favoring continued or expanded Federal aid have argued that new, computer-based forms of information technology are available that could greatly increase the quality and range of services offered by libraries, and the efficiency with which they are provided;.¥et this technology is unlikely to be adopted without Federal assistance, because State and local funds are barely sufficient to maintain current services. Proponents state that Federal aid was essential to the development of interlibrary loan activities and other innovative practices in the past, and is not essential for expansion of library services via new technology. In opposition to this, it is argued that if the new technologies are superior in efficiency to the old, then the States and localities will adopt in spite of (even because of) constrained revenues, with or without Federal assistance. LEGISLATION S. 1431 (Stafford et al.) National Library and Information Services Act. Directs the Secretary of Education to make grants to States for public library programs for services, construction, special user needs, planning and development, public awareness, and personnel training. Authorizes appropriations for such purposes for fiscal years 1983 through 1987. Establishes in the Department of Education an Office of Libraries and Learning Technologies, to be headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary, through which the Secretary is to carry out such grant programs and other appropriate programs. Introduced June 25, 1981; referred’ t0 Committee on L8.DOI' and Human RGSOLIICGS. HEARINGS U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Education and Labor. Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education. Hearings, 96th Congress, lst session. Apr. 3, 1979. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1979. U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Education and Labor. Subcommittee on Select Education. Library services extension. Hearings, 94th Congress, lst session. Dec. 15, 1975. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 350 p. U.S. Congress. Senate. committee on Appropriations. Department of Labor-HEW appropriations for FY79. Hearings, 95th Congress, 2d session. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. Part 3. 871 p. REPORTS AND CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENTS Government Studies and Systems, Incorporated. Evaluation of the effectiveness of Federal funding of public libraries. Study CRS-10 IB81064 UPDATE-O6/10/82 prepared for National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Applied Management Sciences.% Library Services and Construction Act. for U.S. Philadelphia, December 1976. 118 p. An Evaluation of title I of the Study prepared Department of Education. January 1981. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS 03/31/82 02/08/82 12/15/81 11/09/81 10/06/81 09/30/81 08/13/81 07/28/81 06/26/81 06/25/81 06/05/81 03/10/81 10/07/77 03/21/77 P.L. 97-161, into law. Fourth Continuing~Reso1ution for FY82, signed The President's FY83 budget was;submitted to the Congress. P.L. 97-92, Further Continuing Appropriations, signed into law. FY82, was H.R. 4560, the Senate version of the FY82 Labor-HHS Appropriations Act, was reported by the Committee on Appropriations. H.R. 4560, FY82 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill was passed by the House. President Reagan submitted revised budget request to Congress for FY82. P.L. 97-35, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, was signed into law. H.R. 3982, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, reported by the Committee Of Conference. H.R. 3982, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, passed the House. 1 S. 1377, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, passed the Senate. S. 1431, the National Library and Information Services Act, was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources. P.L. 97-12, of 1981, Supplemental Appropriations and Rescission Act was enacted. President Reagan's budget revisions for FY82 were published. The request for the Library Services and Construction Act for FY82 would reduce funding from $75 million in FY81 to $59 million for FY82. P.L. 95-123, the Library Services and Construction Amendments of 1977, was enacted. The House voted, 368-1, to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3712 to amend the Library Services and Construction Act and to extend the authorization of appropriations 12/18/75 12/31/74 05/03/73 12/30/70 07/20/70 04/13/70 ll/24/67 07/19/66 02/11/64 08/31/60 06/19/56 National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. House Conference on Library and Information Services. report. CRS-ll IB8lO64 UPDATE-O6/10/82 through FY81. House Report ll233 was introduced to amend the Library Services and Construction Act to extend authorization of appropriations through FY81. P.L. 93-568, the white House Conference on Library and Information Services was enacted; this legislation authorized the President to call a conference not later than 1978 for the purpose of developing recommendations for further improvement of thelNation's libraries and information centers. P.L. 93-29, the Older Americans.Act, added new title IV to the Library Services and Construction Act for Older Readers Services. P.L. 91-600, the Library Services and Construction Amendments, extended the provisions for 5 years and consolidated library services programs for the institutionalized and handicapped. P.L. 91-345, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, was established. P.L. 91-230, the Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments extended title II, ESEA, School Library Resources. P.L. 90-154, the Library Services and Construction Act Amendments, made certain technical amendments; allowed 1-year extension of 100% Federal funding for title III, interlibrary cooperation. P.L. 89-511, the Library Services and Construction Act Amendments, extended appropriations through FY71, and added title III, interlibrary services and services for the physically handicapped. ' P.L. 88-269, the Library Services and Construction Act, extended assistance to non-rural areas; and authorized funds for public library construction. P.L. 86-679, the Library Services Act Amendments, extended authorizations for appropriations for 5 years for Library Services Act. P.L. 84-597, the Library Services Act, authorized grants to States for extension and improvement of rural public library services, and authorized to appropriate for FY57 and 4 succeeding years $7,500,000. ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES white Final Washington, U.s. Govt. Print. 0ff., March 1980. CRS-12 IB8lO64 UPDATE-O6/10/82 101 p. Alternatives for financing the public library. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., May 1974. 69p. Preliminary investigations Of present and potential library and information service needs. Final report. No. OEO-72-6691. Contract Washington, February 1973. 87 p. General Accounting Office. progress and problems. Federal library support programs:% Health, Office of Education, U.S. Department of Education and Welfare. Washington, Dec. 30, 1974. 46 p.