American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [Stimulus Bill] and Libraries. N o. 565.

Programs that libraries can benefit from included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More information will be posted on each section as it becomes available.

$7.2 billion for Broadband
This includes $2.5 billion for Rural Utilities Service and $4.7 billion for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) broadband grant program to increase broadband access...read more.

$53.6 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund
This program includes $48 billion in block grants allocated among the states. Out of each state’s allocation, 81.8 percent is reserved for education and 18.2 percent is reserved for the governor to...read more.

An additional $120 million for the Senior Community Service Employment Program
This funding will provide community service jobs at nonprofit and public facilities, including libraries, for an additional 24,000 older Americans. The Senior Community Service Employment Program is a community service...read more.

An additional $130 million for the Rural Community Facilities Program
The Community Programs is a division of the Housing and Community Facilities Programs at the United States Department of Agriculture. Community Programs includes the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program...read more.

Feb. 17, 2009.
ALA Applauds Signing of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) applauds Congress and the Administration for completing work on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was signed into law by President Obama today after clearing Congress last week.
Throughout this process, ALA was actively involved in advocating for all types of libraries to ensure the stimulus invests in the programs and services libraries provide that help America get back to work.
ALA President Jim Rettig said that while the final version did not contain every provision that would help libraries, the bill has many opportunities that libraries can use to continue delivering much-needed services.

“Working through this expansive and vitally important piece of legislation was no easy task for Congress and the White House, and I am grateful to see libraries are included in this effort to put our nation on the road to recovery,” Rettig said.
“I believe we now have a responsibility to reach out to our governors and state officials to highlight the funding available to libraries through this bill and to advocate that investing that funding in libraries is a wise and efficient use of tax-payer dollars during this difficult economic time.”