Greetings from our nation's capital! Your Michigan Library Delegation has been busy today visiting with all of the Michigan Congressional Delegation educating them on national library issues and asks as well as letting them know how federal funding benefits what libraries do in Michigan. Joining us in D.C. this year are public, school, academic librarians, trustees and private citizens who support their libraries join us from Michigan to talk to our legislators and their staff about LSTA and E-Rate funding, Early Learning, Net Neutrality, Open Access, School Libraries via ESEA--Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Workforce Investment , Privacy & Surveillance and more. My colleague Joe Hamlin, State Data Coordinator at the Library of Michigan created 2 informative pieces on how we use LSTA funding in Michigan one of which is an amazing Info-graphic on the amazing work public libraries are going in all of Michigan's 14 Congressional districts and state-wide. Both were in the Michigan packets we left with our senators and representatives. There is still time to participate in ALA's National Library Legislative Day which virtually is all week long! Just see the message below, and let your voice be heard! You can see photos from NLLD in D.C. on the Library of Michigan's Facebook page, http://facebook.com/libraryofmichigan. Special thanks to GaleCengage for their support of 2 Michigan librarians to join us at NLLD! Kind regards, Deb Deb Biggs Thomas Michigan eLibrary & Outreach Coordinator NLLD State Coordinator Library of Michigan --------------------------- 517-373-4466 biggsthomasd@michigan.gov<mailto:biggsthomasd@michigan.gov> http://mel.org http://facebook.com/mel.org [http://images.capwiz.com/ala/actionalerts_mlm.png] This week marks the 40th Annual National Library Legislative Day. Hundreds of library supporters from all across the country will convene in Washington DC where they will be briefed on legislative issues affecting libraries and will meet with their legislators to discuss them. Even if you can't make it to DC, you can still advocate for libraries by calling or emailing Congress as part of Virtual Library Legislative Day (VLLD). <http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/ACNLTUMRPX/IGFZTUMSAC/10345401056> All week long (May 5-9), library supporters can let their legislators know just how important our nation's libraries are to the communities they serve. This is an especially important time to speak up for libraries as Congress continues to make cuts that impact libraries. Here's how to participate in Virtual Library Legislative Day<http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/ACNLTUMRPX/OQALTUMSAD/10345401056>: Email Congress To email your legislators, see our alert page <http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/ACNLTUMRPX/DWFITUMSAE/10345401056> and edit the message we already started for you. Call Congress To call your Members of Congress, go to the VLLD alert <http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/ACNLTUMRPX/NNJHTUMSAF/10345401056> at the Legislative Action Center (LAC). After reading the issue briefs, head back to the LAC homepage<http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/ACNLTUMRPX/BGJZTUMSAG/10345401056> and enter your information into the "Find your Officials" box. For more information, head to the official VLLD page sponsored by United for Libraries<http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/ACNLTUMRPX/BOYYTUMSAH/10345401056>, ALA Chapter Relations Office, ALA Office for Library Advocacy and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Thanks for your participation! [http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/actionalerts_for_...] [http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/actionalerts_for_...] [http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/actionalerts_for_...] <http://www.facebook.com/libraryadvocates> [http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/actionalerts_for_...] <http://twitter.com/ala_wo> [http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/actionalerts_for_...] <http://www.districtdispatch.org/> If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here<http://capwiz.com/ala/lmx/u/?jobid=235108481&queueid=10345401056>. [http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/i1/ACNLTUMRPX/10345401056/img/capwizlogo.gif]