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Office of Government Relations (OGR)

1615 New Hampshire Ave NW1st Floor
Washington DC 20009-2520

Phone : 202-628-8410
Fax : 202-628-8419

Mission

As part of the ALA Washington Office, the Office of Government Relations (OGR) is charged with following and influencing legislation, policy and regulatory issues of importance to the library field and its publics.

Responsibilities

In coordination with its sister office, the Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP), OGR works to insure that libraries are consistently involved in the legislative and policy decision-making processes by:
  1. informing government of the needs and concerns of the library community;
  2. providing library supporters with up-to-date information on government actions or proposals;
  3. building coalitions with Washington-based representatives of other groups with similar concerns; and
  4. developing grassroots networks to lobby legislators and further library interests.

At the direction of the ALA Committee on Legislation, the Office of Government Relations covers a broad range of issues including, but not limited to: copyright, appropriations, library programs, government information and telecommunications.

Events

OGR Midwinter Meeting Information
January 23-28, 2009
Denver, CO.

National Library Legislative Day & Virtual Library Legislative Day
May 11-12, 2009
Washington, D.C.

Popular resources

Legislative Action Center (LAC): Take Action Now, Contact Your Member of Congress!

ALA Washington Office Resources on Advocacy (pdf)
Appropriations Issue Brief (pdf)
Communicating with Your Members of Congress (pdf)
Copyright Issue Brief (pdf)
E-Government & Government Information Issue Brief (pdf)
E-rate & Universal Service Issue Brief (pdf)
LSTA Chart (pdf)
LSTA Issue Brief (pdf)
Privacy & Surveillance Issue Brief (pdf)
School Libraries Issue Brief (pdf)
Telecommunications & Broadband Issue Brief (pdf)

Staff

Lynne Bradley - Director
Email: lbradley@alawash.org

Melanie Anderson - Associate Director
Email: manderson@alawash.org

Don Essex - Legislative Information Specialist
Email: dessex@alawash.org

Corey Williams - Associate Director
Email: cwilliams@alawash.org

Jessica McGilvary - Assistant Director
Email: jmcgilvray@alawash.org

Kristin K. Murphy - Government Relations Specialist
Email: kmurphy@alawash.org

Legislative Action Center

LAC

Legislative Action Center
 The LAC features updates on all the important library-related legislation making its way through Congress and  allows you to directly contact your Members of Congress!

National Library Legislative Day

NLLD

National Library Legislative Day
Join library supporters from around the country in Washington, DC to learn about library issues and then lobby like a pro with members of Congress.