are again requesting the secretarial position because it is very important to efficient operation of our agency. I would like to state at this point that we have a national constituency which requires a great deal of correspondence in all of the States and territories, in addition to our continuing relations with other Federal agencies, and the regular work of the Commission with its task forces and committees. The Commission has continued on its work toward implementation of the various objectives of the National Program Document, "Toward a National Program for Library and Information Services: Goals for Action." The written testimony summarizes not only the activity for the current year but describes some of the major activity we intend to undertake during fiscal year 1978. I do not wish to deal too briefly with the Commission's budget because it is most important, but because of the limited time and unless there are questions, I will now proceed with my testimony on the White House Conference on Library and Information Services. Before I start with this, for the record, I would like to make a correction. On page 3 at the end of the first paragraph, I would like to insert this paragraph which I will read. Mr. FLOOD. Without objection, that will be done, yes. Mrs. MOORE. It should be noted that the proposed schedule calls for the conference to be held late in 1979. The date set by Public Law 93568 was 1978, and in 1974 that provided ample time for the States to organize their conferences, and to plan the national conference in which they will culminate. Now, in order to have the planning time we need, it will be necessary to change the date to 1979 and the Commission will request that this be done as soon as this supplemental appropriation is approved by the Congress. The reason this change was made, of course, was to be able to adequately prepare for the State conference and territorial conferences of which there will be about 57, and the planning time required to have those conferences effectively will necessitate this change. There are a few States now ready to proceed, but most of them will have conferences in 1978 and will be ready then for the 1979 confer ence. I would like to also say, Mr. Chairman, that because of the Commission's work and the fact that we have prepared this National Program Document, and also the studies which the Commission has commissioned, we have a body of materials which will allow for a commonality for the States to study issues that we hope will have them assess where they stand in their library developments as relates to a national network and national program, and by studying the same documents and raising the same issues they will do a far better job than they would if we hadn't had this material. So really, I think it's quite fortunate we have waited as long as we have in many respects to do this conference, because we think it will contribute better to a national policy. [The statements follow:] STATEMENT OF BESSIE BOEHM MOORE VICE-CHAIRMAN 1 NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE BEFORE THE U. S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS LABOR-HEW APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE FEBRUARY 8, 1977 NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE Salaries and Expenses List of Witnesses BESSIE BOEHM MOORE FREDERICK BURKHARDT ALPHONSE F. TREZZA NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE Biographical Sketch Bessie Boehm Moore Vice Chairman, NCLIS. Commissioner since 1970. Degrees: BSE State College of Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas Experience: Chairman, Arkansas Library Commission Honors: National Advisory Commission on Libraries, 1966-68 State Coordinator of Environmental Education, State State Supervisor of Economic Education, State Department State Supervisor of Elementary Education, State Department of Arkansas Woman of the Year, 1952 Awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree, University of Appointed in 1961 by Secretary McNamara to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS), 1961-64 Only woman speaker at Southern Governors Conference at Awarded Distinguished Service Award, American Association of Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Arkansas, 1974 Member Board of Directors, First National Bank of Little Member of the Board, Arkansas Foundation of Associated |