Sen. Reed Introduces Amendment
to Improve School Libraries
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) introduced the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Act of 2001 on February 14. The bill, S. 327, would amend Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide up-to-date school library media resources and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists for elementary and secondary schools.
This bipartisan list of supporters includes eight of the nine Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which is authorizing the legislation. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is the only minority member of the committee not yet sponsoring the bill.
The new bill is similar to legislation Reed introduced last year that would have provided $275 million in funding to school libraries to purchase new reference materials and to supply school library media specialists. That proposal was rejected by the committee last March.
Posted February 19, 2001.
|
