ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

WASHINGTON HOTLINE

by Carol C. Henderson Deputy Director ALA Washington Office

AT&T Tariff Developments. Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD) sent a letter dated February 27 with 28 Senate signatures to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Mark Fowler * The letter recommended suspension of AT&T’s private line tariffs for further investigation and additional public input, or if the tariffs are to be approved by the FCC, phase-in of rate increases over a 2-3 year period. Pressler also urged the FCC to consider the library private line service for libraries as he had requested last May in a letter with 27 Senate signatures. Attached to the February 27 letter was a library community position paper spelling out the reasons for recommending suspension of the tariffs or, if necessary, phase-in of increases.

The February 27 Pressler letter was cosigned by Sens. Abdnor, Andrews, Baucus, Boschwitz, Bradley, Burdick, Dixon, Eagleton, Evans, Ford, Glenn, Gore, Harkin, Hecht, Laxalt, Levin, Lugar, Melcher, Metzenbaum, Moynihan, Pell, Quayle, Sarbanes, Simon, Stafford, Stennis, and Thurmond. The hundreds of constituent letters about the impact of the tariffs obviously prepared the way for such a good response. Letters of thanks from library constituents to these Senators would be appropriate.

Meanwhile, the pending tariffs for AT&T’s interstate private or leased line service (used by OCLC, RLG, and WLN for library bibliographic data transmission) have been deferred from March 4 to April 6, and revisions to the tariffs requested by AT&T are pending before the FCC. The pending revisions would mitigate slightly the impact of the tariffs on libraries which are, according to AT&T, among the customers who could experience the largest rate increases.

AT&T officials, in a meeting with library representatives on February 12, estimated the average impact on OCLC and RLG together to be 25.4 percent compared with an average increase for all customers of 8.6 percent. OCLC estimates indicated an average increase of 33 percent, with increases in some areas as high as 78 percent. AT&T says its revisions would mean for OCLC and RLG together a 21.9 increase, compared with a new figure of 7.6 percent for all customers. Additional reductions may be proposed before April 6.

Library of Congress Budget. Three librarians testified March 5 before the House Legislative Appropriations Subcommittee in support of the Library of Congress budget request of $253 million. Of the 5.7 percent increase over the previous year, 72 percent is needed to maintain current services. Increases are needed to continue acquiring Indian materials now that excess currencies in India will no longer be available, automate serials operations, and meet growing demand in special collections reading rooms.

Witnesses were Joseph Rosenthal, University Librarian at University of California, Berkeley, and Maureen Patterson, research associate at UC-Berkeley and recently retired South Asian Librarian, University of Chicago, both representing the Association of Research Libraries, and for ALA, Annalee Bundy, Providence (RI) Public Library Director.

Postal Subsidies. A 2-lb. 4th class library rate book package, which just went up from 47^ to 54^ on February 17, would go to at least 67^ (the full phased rate) and perhaps as high as 94^ (the full commercial rate) under the Administration’s budget, according to ALA Washington Office Director Eileen Cooke, who testified March 7 before the House Postal Operations and Services Subcommittee. The Administration would eliminate all postal revenue foregone appropriations for the library rate, free mailing for the blind and physically handicapped, and other preferred rates.

Some nonprofit subsidies would apparently be retained by raising nonsub- sidized rates—requiring radical postal law changes not yet spelled out by the Office of Management and Budget and not likely to be fully implemented by October 1 when the new fiscal year begins. The Senate Budget Committee has given tentative approval to the proposal, thus endangering postal subsidies for fiscal ’86. The ALA Washington Office has a shortage of data on library postal costs, and would appreciate any information available.