2006 -- H 7166

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LC01450

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2006

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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, Lewiss, San Bento, and Rose

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2006

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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     WHEREAS, In the 1980's, a study of library services in Rhode Island resulted in the

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creation of a legislative commission and of legislation that created the Library Board of Rhode

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Island and the statewide library network, and made major changes in state funding for libraries.

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Rhode Island needs a systematic plan to study the results of this legislation, evaluate the benefits

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of multiple types of libraries in the state, and develop policy recommendations to improve library

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services for all Rhode Islanders as we face the demands of the 21st century; and

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     WHEREAS, More than 500 libraries serve the residents of Rhode Island, including:

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public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries and special libraries such as hospital, legal,

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business, government and institutional libraries; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island residents use different libraries throughout their lives. More

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than 500,000 Rhode Islanders have library cards. Rhode Islanders use public libraries as

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preschoolers, as students, as parents, as workers, as lifelong learners, and they use libraries as a

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place of recreation. They use school and academic libraries as students and special libraries such

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as institutional, hospital, or corporate libraries as workers. For libraries to meet the changing

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needs of Rhode Island residents in the future, they must have 21st century, cooperative

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mechanisms that allow them to connect users with the widest range of possible resources,

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regardless of which type of library provides this connection; and

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     WHEREAS, The state's demographics have significantly changed since the last

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comprehensive study of library services. Effective library programs provide services to people of

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all cultures, economic status, age, gender and physical and mental ability, no matter where they

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live. Since 1990, the total Hispanic population in the state has almost doubled, and Rhode Island

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is the home to the highest number of immigrants per capita in the country. Many new immigrants

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rely on libraries as their introduction to this country and use the library to learn English and

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obtain information about jobs and education. The percentage of population 65 and over in Rhode

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Island is 15%, compared to the national average of 12%. Seniors rely on libraries for social

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interaction, health information, and because many are on fixed incomes, for free information and

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programs. According to the 2000 Census, 40,117 children in Rhode Island live below the poverty

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line, a number that rose 30% since the 1990 Census. Libraries introduce children to literacy skills

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and give them a head start on their education; and

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     WHEREAS, Libraries are an economic development tool. Studies show that people

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change jobs an average of six times over their working lives, and libraries assist users in making

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career choices; and

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     WHEREAS, Strong library systems support a successful educational system, which leads

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to a better educated workforce, and contributes to a good quality of life in the state, factors

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companies examine when deciding where to locate a business; and

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     WHEREAS, Libraries have a unique opportunity to address the challenges people face in

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our contemporary society. Libraries have the ability to help all people access, use and

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understand information technologies, information and the Internet. Effective library programs

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bridge the digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who do not; and

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     WHEREAS, Advances in technology will make it possible to foster greater cooperation

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among different types of libraries, leading to a seamless interface of networked information such

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that residents can easily access this information from wherever they are located. Cooperation

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allows individual libraries to serve their users more effectively by offering them access to the

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resources available to residents; and

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     WHEREAS, A comprehensive study of library services that will help in Rhode Island

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will yield recommendations for leveraging resources that will help all libraries respond to the

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state's changing demographics, emerging technologies, and evolving educational, informational,

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recreational, and cultural needs of the community; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

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Plantations hereby creates a special legislative commission to study the current strengths and

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weaknesses of library services in Rhode Island and develop a proposal to improve the future

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services by libraries of all types for the people of Rhode Island; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of twenty-one (21) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of

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Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

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Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than two (2)

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from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; two (2) of whom

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shall be members of the general public, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee;

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one (1) of whom shall be a representative from a large public library, to be appointed by the

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LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative from a medium-size

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public library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a

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representative from a small public library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee;

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one (1) of whom shall be a representative from an academic library at a public institution of

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higher learning, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be

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a representative from an academic library at a private institution of higher education, to be

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appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative from

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a hospital library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall

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be a representative from a special library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee;

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one (1) of whom shall be a representative from a government or institutional library, to be

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appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative from

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an elementary school library, to be appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of

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whom shall be a representative from a secondary school library, to be appointed by the

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LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative from the University of

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Rhode Island's Graduate School of Library and Information Services (URI/GSLIS), to be

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appointed by the LibFutures Steering Committee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative of

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Library Services from the Office of Library & Information Services (OLIS), to be appointed by

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the LibFutures Steering Committee and one (1) of whom shall be a representative from the state

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law library.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the current

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strengths and weaknesses of library services in Rhode Island and develop a proposal, including,

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but not limited to, legislation, that will address improvements in the future services provided by

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all types of libraries, for the betterment and benefit of people of the State of Rhode Island.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Senate President and organize and shall select from among the legislators a

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chairperson. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original

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appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution, including full subpoena

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power, which may only be exercised with the prior approval of the Speaker of the House of

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Representatives and President of the Senate.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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General Assembly no later than February 3, 2006 and said commission shall expire on April 3,

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2006.

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LC01450

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

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

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     This resolution would create a twenty-one (21) member special legislative commission

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whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study of the current strengths and

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weaknesses of library services in Rhode Island and develop a proposal, including, but not limited

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to, legislation, that will address improvements in the future services provided by all types of

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libraries and who would report back to the general assembly no later than February 3, 2006 and

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whose life would expire on April 3, 2006.

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LC01450

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