The latest news compiled from the ALA conference calls from May 20th and May 21st. If you participated in one of the calls this week, please feel free to post your own comments about what was said and what is important to take away.

From the COSLA/ALA call (May 20, 2009)

The call was facilitated by Melanie Anderson (Associate Director, Office of Government Relations) and Alan Inouye (Director, Office for Information Technology Policy), both with the ALA Washington Office.

State Stabilization

The applications for state stabilization funding for sixteen states have been approved by the US Department of Education. A list of those states and their applications for initial funding may be found at http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html. To receive funding for state stabilization funding, an application from the state must be received by July 1^st.

Broadband Stimulus Funding

A bit more is known about broadband stimulus funding. The ALA Washington Office still expects the federal Notice of Funding Availability for broadband funding under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to be released near the end of June. Information on the Department of Commerce Broadband Technologies Opportunities (BTOP) Program Recovery Plan may be found at http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/program-plan&program_id=5517. Application review will take place in a September – December 2009 timeframe. This plan indicates that the initial awards will be made by December 31, 2009 and that all awards will be made by September 30, 2010. Dates for the second and third rounds of solicitation for applications are also tentatively listed.

Applications will likely need to include information on how the assessment of need has been determined, what’s the project purpose (ALA indicated that this is harder than it sounds), how the project will be sustained, what is the match (ALA indicated that requesting a waiver for the match would put the application at a disadvantage).

It appears that the measures to be addressed in an application will include job creation, number of points of service (and service area expansion) to include the number of homes and businesses which the network passes, the stimulation of private sector investment, high speed access to “strategic institutions”, and how broadband demand is stimulated.

ALA is currently compiling background information for applicants to use in describing how a broadband project will create or preserve jobs. This is a starting point upon which applicants will need to expand.

ALA is also working on a white paper for “fiber to libraries.” They hope to have this available shortly.

If you are interested in the presentation by the ALA Washington Office and the Gates Foundation titled, “Federal Stimulus Funding, Broadband and America’s Libraries” the PowerPoint slideshow and the several video segments are located at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/wo/woissues/washfunding/fedfund/arra101.cfm#broad. The links to the PowerPoint and video are not obvious but are found at the bottom of the ARRA section just above the “What librarians should know about ARRA” section.

From the ALA Chapter Stimulus call (May 21, 2009)

The call was facilitated by Emily Sheketoff (Executive Director, ALA Washington Office) and Linda Schatz (Consultant to ALA, EdTech Strategies, LLC).

State Stabilization

In addition to the state stabilization comments noted in the previous call, Ms. Sheketoff indicated that it is unclear what will happen to state stabilization funding which is not awarded initially. ALA will pursue reprogramming of these funds, if possible, within the purposes for which these funds are available to aid libraries.

Broadband Stimulus Funding

The second half of this call dealt almost exclusively with part of the PowerPoint presentation made at the ALA Washington Office / Gates Foundation meeting last week. The call focused on the information presented by Linda Schatz starting on slide 24 and ending on slide 36. Slide 24 reads “On the Ground—Things to Watch for.” To find the presentation (also referenced in the notes for the previous call), go to http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/wo/woissues/washfunding/fedfund/arra101.cfm#broad. The links to the PowerPoint titled “Federal Stimulus Funding, Broadband and America’s Libraries” are not obvious but are found at the bottom of the ARRA section just above the “What librarians should know about ARRA” section.

These slides deal with the relationship of Broadband Stimulus funding to E-Rate, touch on likely funding limitations and other factors to consider, provide food for thought regarding competitors for this funding and potential partners, and briefly hits upon considerations for which pot of funds and which purposes applications can be directed.

Linda Schatz indicated that the assessment isn’t only in terms of technical needs but also and perhaps more strongly in how this funding will allow libraries to succeed in accomplishing their missions of serving customers and patrons.

Emphasis was made to carefully consider project evaluation and scoring information when the guidelines are actually released. ALA expects the process to be very competitive and does not want library applications to fail because the application failed to address a significant consideration.

Outcomes for the project were also emphasized in this call. Outcomes need to be both realistic and measurable. The IMLS model for Outcome Based Evaluation (OBE) of “we do what, for whom, for what purpose” will likely serve us well in this area.

It was also made clear that applicants should not underestimate the project management requirements if awarded funding. Expect quarterly reporting and all the other trappings which go with administering a grant. Ms. Schatz also emphasized that projects must be realistic in what is proposed, i.e., in terms of completing the project within 24 months. Just as LSTA funding expires at the end of the funding period, expect the same with these funds. Once the project period is over, if the project is not complete, other funding will be needed for completion.

Speculation is that NTIA and RUS, the two sources of broadband stimulus funding, may set up a “combined” or single application process. Time will tell if this comes to pass.

It appears based on the timeframes published in the Department of Commerce broadband plan that applicants will have 45 to 60 days to complete and submit their applications. ALA watchwords in this respect are Be Prepared! Stay tuned.

If you are at ALA, it was indicated that ALA consultants will be available at the membership booth on the exhibit floor to talk with potential applications for broadband funding. Specifics will be announced in a number of ways including ALA COGnotes.

An Agenda for the DIS Broadband Meeting on May 28, 2009

Not released as of this writing. When available the agenda will be found on this site, http://dis.wa.gov/broadband/index.htm.