Now is the time for librarians and others on the front lines fighting for privacy and civil liberties to heed ALA President Courtney Young's call to "Advocate. Today.” - and we do mean *today*. Here's the situation: Thanks to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senators will cast a key vote on Tuesday afternoon that is, in effect, "do or die" for meaningful USA PATRIOT Act reform in the few remaining weeks of the “lame duck” Congress. If Senators Reid and Patrick Leahy can't muster 60 votes on Tuesday to bring Senator Leahy’s USA FREEDOM Act <http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxyFSqyWKDeU9LnLAP9qyMSIHQssTwvK6j3eia6duOKUY1OF7Jp1asnddw_hKH38kIlNd6OQT2JPNBV3_PPpyDb35gii15daiACbpHRHZKFK8uXsx7buIU6IvkqiYsLGozWO1gbBwlxOwSPcGkDiFf3tVN70cW11CrKgiDzYTNE4gL0wzeTZNeUwIH7Lz27XSA&lp=0> (S. 2685 <http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxWxpU-vDcEJfZqznzgQnDV-3tVNBCNyaza2jSZUA4oKjxwizCe1p5LV2eMG8UyLBOiLTfu0SRUMDK7fddQewNdASiuzx_vWqpyO4o8xDKUIMsfGS9fBIWyAnmGlrHudf0VEWdW4O4PLuckucHUyEwN-mHdBaLBtYDoBlxojDjpno&lp=0>) to the floor, then the overwhelming odds are that another bill nearly as good won’t have a prayer of passage for many years. Sadly, it’s not at all certain that 60 Senators are leaning in that direction. <http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAx1c88xLkOMiEjtn-V9Z4iJigaJli8AReqK4_YFBuxiE7AJqKmOFR_glaOa4hMuGOr5ZJgIJGyDrymzqp75vWk9ArpS69D92zI4VMW7MV7UlKkIms2E1rIU7pbR-BjZg5_ZHJHqo6_qcZRoY8E2UNRZic21i1VG8rTYfTqYbHrH_gk_mH4Yf-IPV97wGd0ciDWkwDa7Uqs51u0gUCrkoatc9PJBhzFFRTP3LIhZX2OBD4&lp=0> That’s where you come in! Now is the time for librarians (and everyone else concerned with their privacy and all of our civil liberties) to come to the aid of Sens. Leahy and Reid, and their country. Just click the big “Click Here to Act Now” button below to quickly and automatically identify your Senators and Representative in the House, and to send them a letter we’ve drafted for you with just one click asking them to take up and pass Sen. Leahy’s USA FREEDOM Act without any harmful amendments. Acting now is critical . . . and it's easy and fast. Please contact your members of Congress. Click Here to Act Now <http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/take-action?engagementId=69398&ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxWEfy3tv80EC1kISzue-1Gjndua7cmhU4cIaAV4YixQLLE91XCms_HABKXD11nuLdWzpOeFR_-bk2VuZjHk2ProCc-hA1EZdA5SclOPlNMAI&lp=0> Christine Lind Hage, President, United for Libraries Library Director, Rochester Hills Public Library 500 Olde Towne Road Rochester, MI 48307-2043 248/650-7122 Raising a reader is: Talking * Singing * Reading * Writing * Playing