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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 324 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 324

   Expressing support for the staff of this Nation's public, school, 
academic, and special libraries and the essential services they provide 
to our communities, recognizing the need for funding commensurate with 
 the broad scope of social services and community supports provided by 
   libraries, preserving the right of all citizens to freely access 
  information and resources in their communities, supporting a strong 
  union voice for library workers, and defending the civil rights of 
                             library staff.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 25, 2023

 Ms. Jayapal (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Bowman, Mr. 
   Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Casar, Ms. Craig, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. 
    Espaillat, Mr. Evans, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Lee of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, 
 Mr. Pocan, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Scholten, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. 
 Tonko, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wilson of Florida, and Mr. Higgins of 
New York) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Expressing support for the staff of this Nation's public, school, 
academic, and special libraries and the essential services they provide 
to our communities, recognizing the need for funding commensurate with 
 the broad scope of social services and community supports provided by 
   libraries, preserving the right of all citizens to freely access 
  information and resources in their communities, supporting a strong 
  union voice for library workers, and defending the civil rights of 
                             library staff.

Whereas the staff of the Nation's libraries are cornerstones of their 
        communities, providing patrons with access to books and media, 
        delivering high-quality programming to visitors of all ages, ensuring 
        equitable internet access for all, and linking people to crucial 
        information about accessing social services;
Whereas libraries are an economic powerhouse in their communities, providing 
        resources to small business owners, job seekers, and individuals 
        learning new skills;
Whereas, in recent years, the staff of the Nation's libraries have been called 
        on to address the fallout from our most difficult public crises on a 
        daily basis, taking on roles that exceed the traditional role of 
        providing a space and access to educational and cultural enrichment;
Whereas library staff provide lifesaving care to members of their communities 
        who are suffering the effects of the country's ongoing and tragic opioid 
        epidemic, including being called upon to administer medication to treat 
        overdoses;
Whereas libraries are a safe haven for individuals and families who are 
        unhoused, and library workers provide the supportive community 
        environment and resources needed by such individuals and families;
Whereas libraries are often the only source of internet for underserved 
        communities;
Whereas library workers not only maintained the public's access to essential 
        library services but also were relied on to distribute personal 
        protective equipment and provide testing to the public during the worst 
        days of the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas libraries have met this expanded and intensified demand for community, 
        public health, and safety net services often while contending with 
        severe funding cuts, creating unsustainable and frequently unsafe 
        working conditions for library workers;
Whereas the health of our country and survival of our democracy requires that 
        everyone be able to exercise rights to information and services, and it 
        is especially important for young people to have the opportunity to 
        learn and encounter and debate all manner of ideas, including 
        controversial ones;
Whereas library staff must make decisions about the books and media in their 
        collections and assist patrons in accessing those materials as a 
        fundamental responsibility of their job, without fearing censorship or 
        reprisal for fulfilling their role in providing information and 
        resources to the public;
Whereas, over the past year, there have been deplorable incidents throughout the 
        country that have been orchestrated to intimidate library staff and 
        prevent them from fulfilling their central work responsibility to 
        provide the public with free and unfettered access to information;
Whereas library workers across the country are mobilizing for a collective union 
        voice in their workplaces to elevate their profession, ensure safe and 
        adequately resourced spaces that meet the needs of the communities they 
        serve, and to protect the essential role of libraries in American 
        democracy; and
Whereas the week of April 23 through April 29, 2023, would be an appropriate 
        time to celebrate ``National Library Week'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the work of 
the people who staff the Nation's libraries, supports the goals and 
ideals of National Library Week, and--
            (1) recognizes that libraries and library workers provide 
        critical infrastructure for the United States and are essential 
        to the future of this country;
            (2) supports the prioritization of full funding of library 
        services at the Federal, State, and local levels, to ensure the 
        continuation and improvement of their services;
            (3) reaffirms the fundamental right of the people of the 
        United States to access information, which is made real through 
        the efforts of the individuals who staff the Nation's 
        libraries;
            (4) reaffirms library workers' fundamental right to 
        organize and collectively bargain at work and to have a 
        protected voice in their workplace;
            (5) reaffirms the civil rights of library workers to 
        exercise their responsibilities to the public without threats 
        or intimidation; and
            (6) recognizes the right of library workers to speak out on 
        matters of public concern, to address themselves to elected 
        officials and to the administration of the entities that employ 
        such workers, and to inform the public at large about their 
        right to free and unfettered access to information, and about 
        threats to such access.
                                 <all>
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