fore the public. The first deals with the continuing need for Federal funds to develop and sustain library programs. The second supports the National Program for Acquisitions and Cataloging in the Library of Congress. STATEMENT ON LIBRARY FUNDING "In its effort to work toward improved library and information services, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science has closely monitored changing library funding patterns including revenue sharing. Recent reports including studies of the U.S. Department of Treasury and other governmental organizations and professional associations indicate that libraries are last in funding among the eight priority areas eligible for general revenue sharing. Though individual libraries have benefited from revenue sharing, the overall funding pattern has provided only a small fraction of the amounts available in earlier years from categorical funds." STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAM "The output of serious recorded informational material in books and other formats in many languages has increased dramatically in recent years, and this increase is expected to continue. Access to the world's knowledge as it is recorded is vital to the United States and to industrial, governmental, social, environmental, educational, business and scholarly interests within this nation. It is essential, therefore, to expand and improve the national program for collecting, cataloging and making available the worldwide production of recorded knowledge. A Library of Congress activity, the National Program for Acquisitions and Cataloging (NPAC), has already saved the nation's scholarly libraries from an inability to collect comprehensively in important foreign areas. It has also saved them from the incalculable expense of duplicate, repetitive cataloging of these materials. The Library of Congress must be provided with the means to further this important work. The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science commends to the Congress of the United States the NPAC as the best available cost-effective method for providing access to the worldwide information required for present and future generations of United States' citizens and scholars." ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATION President Nixon appointed two new members to the Commission in July 1973. Mrs. Julia Li Wu of California and Mr. Daniel W. Casey of New York were appointed to terms ending in 1978. Mrs. Bessie Boehm Moore, who has served on the Commission since its inception, was reappointed for five years. The members whose terms were completed and who left the Commission after three years of distinguished service are John G. Kemeny of New Hampshire and Alfred R. Zipf of California. Mrs. Wu brings to the Commission a background of library activity as a school librarian. Mr. Casey, Immediate Past President of the American Library Trustee Association, has been affiliated with a number of library organizations as trustee and officer. The Commission elects annually one member to serve as Vice-Chairman. In 1973-74, Mrs. Bessie Boehm Moore was elected to serve her second year in this position. As the year ended, the Executive Director, Charles H. Stevens, left the Commission to accept an appointment with the Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET). Mr. Roderick G. Swartz, Deputy Director, has been awarded both a Fulbright Fellowship and a Council on Library Resources Grant for study. He has accepted these awards and will begin the work under the two programs in Europe in 1975. His service to the Commission will end in December 1974. Mr. Alphonse F. Trezza, Director of the Illinois State Library, has agreed to accept the post of Executive Direc tor effective December 1, 1974. Mr. Trezza has had a distinguished career of library activites and was largely responsible for the development of a network of public, academic, school and special libraries in Illinois. He has served in several professional library association posts as an elected official and as an employee. He is widely known among professional librarians and is experienced in the development of legislative programs for libraries. Mrs. Martha Quigley joined the office staff in May for part-time assignments. APPENDIX I Public Law 91-345 91st Congress, S. 1519 July 20, 1970 As amended by Public Law 93–29, Section 802, May 3, 1978 An Act To establish a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and for other purposes. National Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "National Commission on Libraries and Information Commission on Science Act". STATEMENT OF POLICY SEC. 2. The Congress hereby affirms that library and information services adequate to meet the needs of the people of the United States are essential to achieve national goals and to utilize most effectively the Nation's educational resources and that the Federal Government will cooperate with State and local governments and public and private agencies in assuring optimum provision of such services. COMMISSION ESTABLISHED SEC. 3. (a) There is hereby established as an independent agency within the executive branch, a National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission"). (b) The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare shall provide the Commission with necessary administrative services (including those related to budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, personnel, and procurement) for which payment shall be made in advance, or by reimbursement, from funds of the Commission and such amounts as may be agreed upon by the Commission and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. CONTRIBUTIONS SEC. 4. The Commission shall have authority to accept in the name of the United States grants, gifts, or bequests of money for immediate disbursement in furtherance of the functions of the Commission. Such grants, gifts, or bequests, after acceptance by the Commission, shall be paid by the donor or his representative to the Treasurer of the United States whose receipts shall be their acquittance. The Treasurer of the United States shall enter them in a special account to the credit of the Commission for the purposes in each case specified. FUNCTIONS SEC. 5. (a) The Commission shall have the primary responsibility for developing or recommending overall plans for, and advising the appropriate governments and agencies on, the policy set forth in section 2. In carrying out that responsibility, the Commission shall (1) advise the President and the Congress on the implementation of national policy by such statements, presentations, and reports as it deems appropriate; Libraries and 84 STAT, 440 84 STAT. 441 Advice to (2) conduct studies, surveys, and analyses of the library and Studies, surveys, informational needs of the Nation, including the special library etc. and informational needs of rural areas, of economically, socially, or culturally deprived persons, and of elderly persons, and the means by which these needs may be met through information centers, through the libraries of elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education, and through public, research, special, and other types of libraries; Report to Contract authority. Hearings. 84 STAT. 441 84 STAT. 442 Appointments by President. Terms of office. Compensation, travel ex penses. Pub. Law 91-345 - 2 July 20, 1970 (3) appraise the adequacies and deficiencies of current library and information resources and services and evaluate the effectiveness of current library and information science programs; (4) develop overall plans for meeting national library and informational needs and for the coordination of activities at the Federal, State, and local levels, taking into consideration all of the library and informational resources of the Nation to meet those needs; (5) be authorized to advise Federal, State, local, and private agencies regarding library and information sciences; (6) promote research and development activities which will extend and improve the Nation's library and informationhandling capability as essential links in the national communications networks; (7) submit to the President and the Congress (not later than January 31 of each year) a report on its activities during the preceding fiscal year; and (8) make and publish such additional reports as it deems to be necessary, including, but not limited to, reports of consultants, transcripts of testimony, summary reports, and reports of other Commission findings, studies, and recommendations. (b) The Commission is authorized to contract with Federal agencies and other public and private agencies to carry out any of its functions under subsection (a) and to publish and disseminate such reports, findings, studies, and records as it deems appropriate. (c) The Commission is further authorized to conduct such hearings at such times and places as it deems appropriate for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (d) The heads of all Federal agencies are, to the extent not prohibited by law, directed to cooperate with the Commission in carrying out the purposes of this Act. MEMBERSHIP SEC. 6. (a) The Commission shall be composed of the Librarian of Congress and fourteen members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Five members of the Commission shall be professional librarians or information specialists, and the remainder shall be persons having special competence or interest in the needs of our society for library and information services, at least one of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the technological aspects of library and information services and sciences, and at least one other of whom shall be knowledgeable with respect to the library and information service and science needs of the elderly. One of the members of the Commission shall be designated by the President as Chairman of the Commission. The terms of office of the appointive members of the Commission shall be five years, except that (1) the terms of office of the members first appointed shall commence on the date of enactment of this Act and shall expire two at the end of one year, three at the end of two years, three at the end of three years, three at the end of four years, and three at the end of five years, as designated by the President at the time of appointment, and (2) a member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term. (b) Members of the Commission who are not in the regular full-time employ of the United States shall, while attending meetings or conferences of the Commission or otherwise engaged in the business of the Commission, be entitled to receive compensation at a rate fixed by the Chairman, but not exceeding the rate specified at the time of such July 20, 1970 - 3 Pub. Law 91-345 84 STAT. 442 service for grade GS-18 in section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, 35 F.R. 6247. including traveltime, and while so serving on the business of the Commission away from their homes or regular places of business, they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons 83 Stat. 190. employed intermittently in the Government service. (c) (1) The Commission is authorized to appoint, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, covering appointments in the competitive service, such professional and technical personnel as may be necessary to enable it to carry out its function under this Act. (2) The Commission may procure, without regard to the civil service or classification laws, temporary and intermittent services of such personnel as is necessary to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not to exceed the rate specified at the time of such service for grade GS-18 in section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, including traveltime, and while so serving on the business of the Commission away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons employed intermittently in the Government service. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS SEC. 7. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated $500,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1970, and $750,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1971, and for each succeeding year, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act. Approved July 20, 1970. Professional and technical personnel, appointment. 80 Stat. 378. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: HOUSE REPORTS: No, 91-240 accompanying H. R. 10666 (Comm. on Education Vol. 115 (1969): May 23, considered and passed Senate. Vol. 116 (1970): April 20, considered and passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 10666. June 29, House agreed to conference report. |