American Library Association – NATIONAL POLICY AGENDA FOR LIBRARIES – The Policy Revolution! Initiative

“INTRODUCTION TO THE AGENDA AND INITIATIVE – Libraries are in a digital revolution , fueled by rapid advances in technology. This digital revolution brings compelling opportunities to build upon what libraries already do well: empower and engage communities and contribute to the missions of our national institutions. But the digital revolution also brings with it m any challenges. The roles, capabilities and expectations of libraries are changing rapidly. At the same time, national investment in libraries is lagging. This is due in large part to a lack of understanding by decision makers and influencers about how libraries uniquely contribute to society in the digital age. The extent to which the U.S. library community can position libraries as essential to the fabric of our society will establish our value proposition for decades ..o come. If we fail to build support from government entities, companies, foundations, associations, and other non-profit organizations, then libraries will be unable to meet our missions, and society will be poorer for it…Updates on the agenda and outreach, as well as complementary materials and resources are available at http://www.ala.org/oitp”