<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:p="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:powerpoint" xmlns:a="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:access" xmlns:dt="uuid:C2F41010-65B3-11d1-A29F-00AA00C14882" xmlns:s="uuid:BDC6E3F0-6DA3-11d1-A2A3-00AA00C14882" xmlns:rs="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:rowset" xmlns:z="#RowsetSchema" xmlns:b="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:publisher" xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet" xmlns:c="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:component:spreadsheet" xmlns:odc="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:odc" xmlns:oa="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:activation" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:q="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:D="DAV:" xmlns:mt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/meetings/" xmlns:x2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2003/xml" xmlns:ois="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/ois/" xmlns:dir="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/directory/" xmlns:ds="http://www.w3.org/2000/09/xmldsig#" xmlns:dsp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/dsp" xmlns:udc="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:sub="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/2002/1/alerts/" xmlns:ec="http://www.w3.org/2001/04/xmlenc#" xmlns:sp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/" xmlns:sps="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:udcs="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/soap" xmlns:udcxf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/xmlfile" xmlns:udcp2p="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/parttopart" xmlns:wf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/workflow/" xmlns:dsss="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig-setup" xmlns:dssi="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig" xmlns:mdssi="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/digital-signature" xmlns:mver="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:mrels="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/relationships" xmlns:spwp="http://microsoft.com/sharepoint/webpartpages" xmlns:ex12t="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/types" xmlns:ex12m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/messages" xmlns:pptsl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/SlideLibrary/" xmlns:spsl="http://microsoft.com/webservices/SharePointPortalServer/PublishedLinksService" xmlns:Z="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" xmlns:st="" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Consolas;
panose-1:2 11 6 9 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Header Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.MsoBodyText2, li.MsoBodyText2, div.MsoBodyText2
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text 2 Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.HeaderChar
{mso-style-name:"Header Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:Header;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
span.BodyText2Char
{mso-style-name:"Body Text 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text 2";
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
span.PlainTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Plain Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text";
font-family:Consolas;}
span.emailstyle21
{mso-style-name:emailstyle21;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.emailstyle22
{mso-style-name:emailstyle22;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.emailstyle23
{mso-style-name:emailstyle23;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.emailstyle24
{mso-style-name:emailstyle24;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.emailstyle25
{mso-style-name:emailstyle25;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.emailstyle26
{mso-style-name:emailstyle26;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.emailstyle27
{mso-style-name:emailstyle27;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle31
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle32
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.25in 1.25in 1.25in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:63066650;
mso-list-template-ids:312143166;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:201792374;
mso-list-template-ids:2024205518;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2
{mso-list-id:1249002511;
mso-list-template-ids:1401043494;}
@list l2:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level2
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level3
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level5
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level6
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level8
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level9
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l3
{mso-list-id:1576553114;
mso-list-template-ids:1702761680;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Please excuse cross postings—<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>This is a very important Call to Action for school libraries for
this legislative session from Gloria Meraz, the Director of Communications for the
Texas Library Association. I hope you all will act now, as this issue is at a
particularly critical moment for the next few days, if we are to make progress.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I urge each of you to take a moment to contact your
representative on this issue, and do so quickly. This would be a huge step
forward for school libraries in Texas—tying us to school accountability. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions! See
Gloria’s message below, which succinctly explains the amendment to HB3
that we are requesting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Jennifer LaBoon<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Chair, Legislative and Advocay – Texas Association of
School Librarians<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Coordinator - Library Technology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Fort Worth ISD Library Media Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>3150 McCart Ave<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Fort Worth, TX 76110<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>817-922-4405<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>jennifer.laboon@fwisd.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Gloria Meraz
[mailto:gloriam@txla.org] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 27, 2009 2:52 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Gloria Meraz<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Texline 244: CALL TO ACTION: HB 3 (school accountability bill)<br>
<b>Importance:</b> High<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>TLA
TEXLINE NO. 244 - TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE ISSUES NETWORK </span></b><span
style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>In
this issue: <a name="OLE_LINK4"></a>CALL TO ACTION: HB 3 (school accountability
bill)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Posted:
April 27, 2009</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>In
this issue</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>I.
CALL TO ACTION: HB 3 (school accountability bill)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a name="OLE_LINK7"></a><a name="OLE_LINK8"></a><b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>I. CALL TO ACTION:
HB 3 (school accountability bill)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The
Texas House will consider HB 3 soon<span style='color:navy'> </span>(possibly
within a week). We urge you to email your own state representative, Rep. Rob
Eissler (chairman of the House Public Education Committee), and Speaker Joe
Straus to request that HB 3 be amended to include language that would add the
evaluation of school library services as a criteria for campus distinctive
designation. This action is an important first step for integrating
library services into the overall assessment of educational services.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Who
to email?</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:blue;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Rep.
Rob Eissler: </span><u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><a
href="mailto:rob.eissler@house.state.tx.us" target="_blank">rob.eissler@house.state.tx.us</a></span></u><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Speaker Joe Straus: <span
style='color:black'><a href="mailto:joe.straus@speaker.state.tx.us"
target="_blank">joe.straus@speaker.state.tx.us</a></span></span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Your own representative. To
find who represents you and for contact information, go to:
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>What
to ask for?</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Specifically,
we would like the bill to be amended as follows: </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Add
“<u>(6) library services.</u>” in Subchapter G, Section 39.201, D
of the committee substitute, continuing the list provided (1) – (5) in
the subsection. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>What
to say?</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>When
you email these three elected officials, be sure to explain<b><i> in your own
words</i></b> why school library services are critical to education and why
they must be considered when assessing the excellence of a campus. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>BACKGROUND and
TALKING POINTS</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Rationale</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>School
libraries are an essential asset in student learning and the development of
lifelong information literacy skills. School libraries:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo6'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>help students perform better on
standardized tests and curricular expectations; </span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo6'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>create equal opportunities that
allow all students to be competitive against state and national peers; and
</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo6'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>support learning and student
achievement at all levels. </span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.25in;vertical-align:baseline'><b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.25in;vertical-align:baseline'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Research shows
strong school libraries equal higher student achievement. Dozens of national
studies, including one conducted in Texas , <span style='color:black'>demonstrate
that <b><i>students in schools with strong school libraries perform better on
standardized tests.</i></b></span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;vertical-align:baseline'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings'>Ø</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>According
to the Texas Study (2001), over 10% more students in schools with librarians
than in schools without librarians met minimum state expectations in
standardized testing reading scores. This study indicates that library
services--staffing levels, collection sizes, librarian interaction with
teachers and students, and library technology levels—have a positive
association with testing performance at the elementary, middle/junior high, and
high school levels.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:3.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings'>Ø</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Information
literacy is the universal currency for success in today’s competitive
world. This is especially true for our children who must be equipped to access,
use, and evaluate information competently and ethically. School library
programs<span style='color:navy'> </span>are the mechanisms for teaching these
skills, reinforcing classroom instruction, and opening other portals for
learning.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Relationship
of Amendment to CSHB 3</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings'>Ø</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The other
criteria designated in CSHB 3 in this section include: 1) academic achievement
in English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies; 2) fine
arts; 3) physical education; 4) 21<sup>st</sup> Century Workforce Development
program; and 5) second language acquisition program.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:3.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings'>Ø</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>School
libraries are as essential as the other programs listed in the bill; and, as
libraries relate directly to instruction and assisting student in meeting
curricular requirements, library programs are fundamental to a truly
well-rounded educational experience. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>In
a recent statewide public opinion poll of Texas registered voters, a staggering
99% of respondents believe that school libraries are essential to education.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>*******************************************************</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>TLA-Texline
is an irregular publication of the Texas Library Association mailed directly to
members interested in legislative and governmental issues affecting
libraries. To subscribe, contact Gloria Meraz, Director of
Communications, Texas Library Association, gloriam@txla.org.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>