The NCLA Public Policy Committee met October 1, 2004, at the Asheboro Public Library. Present were Chair Ross Holt and members Sandy Cooper, Beverley Gass, David Goble, Kate Hickey, Jim Kuhlman and Jerry Thrasher. Also attending were North Carolina Public Library Directors Association (NCPLDA) President Bill Snyder and President-Elect Jane Rustin; and by phone, lobbyist Ken Eudy.

The committee heard reports from each community of interest about issues related to state funding of libraries, and potential legislative goals for the 2005 session of the General Assembly.
· The NCPLDA will pursue an increase in the Aid to Public Libraries fund of $4.7 million. This would raise the total expenditure from $14.7 million to $19.4 million, and reflects the cost-of-living increase since the fund peaked at $16.9 million in 1998.
· The University Librarians Advisory Council (ULAC) libraries is requesting an expansion budget for 2005-2007 that includes a $1 million increase in NC LIVE funding, among other items.
· It was reported that the Council of Community College Library Administrators (CCCLA) is requesting an expansion budget for technology that includes $1 million for electronic resources tagged for NC LIVE, but subsequent information suggests that it is unclear if this funding will be part of the actual Community College System budget request.

The committee recommends that the NCLA Executive Board adopt a legislative agenda for 2005 that includes:
· working with NCPLDA to increase the Aid to Public Libraries fund by $4.7 million;
· supporting the budget request of ULAC where efficacious;
· supporting the budget request of CCCLA if it is incorporated into the Community College System budget.

A preliminary report from Ken Eudy of Capstrat indicates that a rate similar to last year likely would apply for lobbying services on a main issue, with some significantly smaller amount quoted for acting in a supporting role on one or both of the secondary issues. A formal quote is in the works.

The committee further recommends that the NCLA Executive Board commit $15,000 in its 2005 budget to be matched by a like amount from NCPDLA in order to engage the services of a professional lobbyist; and empower the president, consulting with the executive committee, to sign a contract with a lobbyist between now and the start of the legislative session.

The committee also discussed ways to solicit funds from other library organizations, such as Friends groups, and businesses to increase the general revenue of NCLA in support of all its activities, including lobbying, and ways to recognize donors when contributions are received. The committee suggests that the “Contributing Member” option on the membership form could be expanded to offer various levels of donations, and a forum devised through which contributing members could be routinely recognized.

The chair also would like to collaborate with the Membership Committee on some kind of promotion that would target library staff who are not NCLA members and focus on the impact on libraries of NCLA's legislative success over the past three General Assembly sessions, in the hopes that greater awareness of NCLA's advocacy activity will generate membership.