04-R 371
2004 -- H 7732 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/25/04
J O I N T R E S O L U T
I O N
CREATING
A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE CURRENT
STRENGTHS
AND WEAKNESSES OF LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE STATE OF RHODE
ISLAND
Introduced
By: Representatives Dennigan, Malik, Anguilla, and Almeida
Date
Introduced: February 11, 2004
WHEREAS,
In the 1980's, a study of library services in Rhode Island resulted in the
creation
of a legislative commission and of legislation that created the Library Board
of Rhode
Island
and the statewide library network, and made major changes in state funding for
libraries.
Rhode
Island needs a systematic plan to study the results of this legislation,
evaluate the benefits
of
multiple types of libraries in the state, and develop policy recommendations to
improve library
services
for all Rhode Islanders as we face the demands of the 21st century; and
WHEREAS,
More than 500 libraries serve the residents of Rhode Island, including:
public
libraries, academic libraries, school libraries and special libraries such as
hospital, legal,
business,
government and institutional libraries; and
WHEREAS,
Rhode Island residents use different libraries throughout their lives. More
than
500,000 Rhode Islanders have library cards. Rhode Islanders use public
libraries as
preschoolers,
as students, as parents, as workers, as lifelong learners, and they use
libraries as a
place
of recreation. They use school and academic libraries as students and special
libraries such
as
institutional, hospital, or corporate libraries as workers. For libraries to
meet the changing
needs
of Rhode Island residents in the future, they must have 21st century,
cooperative
mechanisms
that allow them to connect users with the widest range of possible resources,
regardless
of which type of library provides this connection; and
WHEREAS,
The state's demographics have significantly changed since the last
comprehensive
study of library services. Effective library programs provide services to
people of
all
cultures, economic status, age, gender and physical and mental ability, no
matter where they
live.
Since 1990, the total Hispanic population in the state has almost doubled, and
Rhode Island
is
the home to the highest number of immigrants per capita in the country. Many
new immigrants
rely
on libraries as their introduction to this country and use the library to learn
English and
obtain
information about jobs and education. The percentage of population 65 and over
in Rhode
Island
is 15%, compared to the national average of 12%. Seniors rely on libraries for
social
interaction,
health information, and because many are on fixed incomes, for free information
and
programs.
According to the 2000 Census, 40,117 children in Rhode Island live below the
poverty
line,
a number that rose 30% since the 1990 Census. Libraries introduce children to
literacy skills
and
give them a head start on their education; and
WHEREAS,
Libraries are an economic development tool. Studies show that people
change
jobs an average of six times over their working lives, and libraries assist
users in making
career
choices; and
WHEREAS,
Strong library systems support a successful educational system, which leads
to
a better educated workforce, and contributes to a good quality of life in the
state, factors
companies
examine when deciding where to locate a business; and
WHEREAS,
Libraries have a unique opportunity to address the challenges people face in
our
contemporary society. Libraries have the ability to help all people access, use
and
understand
information technologies, information and the Internet. Effective library
programs
bridge
the digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who do
not; and
WHEREAS,
Advances in technology will make it possible to foster greater cooperation
among
different types of libraries, leading to a seamless interface of networked information
such
that
residents can easily access this information from wherever they are located.
Cooperation
allows
individual libraries to serve their users more effectively by offering them
access to the
resources
available to residents; and
WHEREAS,
A comprehensive study of library services that will help in Rhode Island
will
yield recommendations for leveraging resources that will help all libraries
respond to the
state's
changing demographics, emerging technologies, and evolving educational,
informational,
recreational,
and cultural needs of the community; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations
hereby creates a special legislative commission to study the current strengths
and
weaknesses
of library services in Rhode Island and develop a proposal to improve the
future
services
by libraries of all types for the people of Rhode Island; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created
consisting
of twenty-one (21) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of
Representatives,
not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the
Speaker
of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than
two (2)
from
the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; two
(2) of whom
shall
be members of the general public, to be appointed by the Governor; one (1) of
whom shall
be
a representative from a large public library, to be appointed by the LibFutures
Steering
Committee;
one (1) of whom shall be a representative from a medium-size public library, to
be
appointed
by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative
from
a
small public library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one
(1) of whom
shall
be a representative from an academic library at a public institution of higher
learning, to be
appointed
by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative
from
an
academic library at a private institution of higher education, to be appointed
by the LibFutures
Steering
Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative from a hospital library,
to be
appointed
by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative
from
a
special library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1)
of whom shall be
a
representative from a government or institutional library, to be appointed by
the LibFutures
Steering
Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative from an elementary school
library,
to
be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a
representative
from
a secondary school library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering
Committee; one (1)
of
whom shall be a representative from the University of Rhode Island's Graduate
School of
Library
and Information Services (URI/GSLIS), to be appointed by the LibFutures
Steering
Committee;
one (1) of whom shall be a representative of Library Services from the Office
of
Library
& Information Services (OLIS), to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering
Committee;
and
one (1) of whom shall be a representative from the State Law Library.
The
purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the
current
strengths
and weaknesses of library services in Rhode Island and develop a proposal,
including,
but
not limited to, legislation, that will address improvements in the future
services provided by
all
types of libraries, for the betterment and benefit of people of the State of
Rhode Island.
Forthwith
upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
the
call of the Speaker of the House and the Senate President and organize and
shall select co-
chairpersons
from among the legislators. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in
like
manner
as the original appointment.
The
membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
All
departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and
information,
documentary
and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or
desirable
by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution, including full
subpoena
power,
which may only be exercised with the prior approval of the Speaker of the House
of
Representatives
and President of the Senate.
The
Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to
provide
suitable
quarters for said commission; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the
General
Assembly no later than February 3, 2005 and said commission shall expire on
April 3,
2005.
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LC02171/SUB
A/2
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