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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13679-13680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05154]

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NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Libraries and Broadband: Urgency and Impact; Public Hearing

AGENCY: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

ACTION: Notice of public hearing; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services is holding a 
public hearing, ``Libraries and Broadband: Urgency and Impact,'' to 
examine the need for high speed broadband in America's libraries. The 
Institute of Museum and Library Services is charged with advising the 
President and Congress about the library, museum and information 
service needs of the American public.

[[Page 13680]]

DATES: Public Hearing: April 17, 2014, 9:00 a.m.--12:00 p.m. Requests 
to Participate: Submit requests to participate at the meeting by March 
24, 2014. Written Comments: Written comments received by May 1, 2014 
will be part of the record.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. 
Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW., Washington, DC 20001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gladstone Payton, Congressional 
Affairs Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 
gpayton@imls.gov. Written comments should be directed to 
comments@imls.gov. Comments received by May 1, 2014 will be part of the 
record. Requests to participate in the hearing should be directed to 
comments@imls.gov by March 24, 2014. To make special arrangements for 
persons with disabilities, contact: elyons@imls.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For the nation's 123,000 school, public, 
research and academic libraries and the millions of Americans that they 
serve, it is vital that libraries have the high speed internet 
connections the public demands for educational, cultural, health and 
workforce information and services. Presidential initiatives like 
Connect-Ed and the FCC Chairman's call for modernization of the E-rate 
program have put a spotlight on the urgency to equip schools and 
libraries with high speed broadband connections. The Institute of 
Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has primary responsibility for the 
development and implementation of policy to ensure the availability of 
museum, library and information services adequate to meet the essential 
information, education, research, economic, cultural and civic needs of 
the people of the United States. See 20 U.S.C. Section 9103(c)(1). In 
carrying out this responsibility, IMLS is authorized to engage with 
Federal, State, and local government agencies and private entities in 
assessing current needs and coordinating the development of plans, 
policies, and activities to meet such needs effectively. Id. at Section 
(c)(2). Pursuant to the authority granted in 20 U.S.C. Section 9110, 
IMLS is conducting this public hearing for the purpose of establishing 
a public record specifically focused on the need for and impact of high 
speed broadband connectivity in America's libraries.
    The Institute will hear from witnesses on the following topics:
    Panel One: The Vision, What's Working: This panel will explore 
innovative practices and partnerships that are serving individuals and 
communities well.
    Panel Two: The Data: This panel will explore what is known about 
broadband connections and services in America's libraries.
    Panel Three: The Urgency, What's At Risk: This panel will explore 
risks associated with insufficient connectivity in libraries.
    The hearing is open to the public, subject to space availability. 
Written comments for the hearing will be accepted and must be received 
on or before May 1, 2014, in order to be included in the hearing 
record. Each comment must include the author's name and organizational 
affiliation, if any.

    Signed: March 5, 2014.
Nancy E. Weiss,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2014-05154 Filed 3-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7036-01-P
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