Mr. IRWIN. I think you have not answered my question and perhaps you can't. The CHAIRMAN. I think he has made a fine presentation. I wish to compliment your organization for the position it has taken in this matter. Mr. SULLIVAN. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, sir. The next witness is Mr. Emerson Greenaway, director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, representing the American Library Association. STATEMENT OF EMERSON GREENAWAY, DIRECTOR, FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA; REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Mr. GREENAWAY. My name is Emerson Greenaway, and I am the director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and immediate past president of the American Library Association. I am appearing before you today as a representative of that organization, a nonprofit, professional association of more than 23,000 members, consisting of librarians, trustees, and friends of libraries interested in the development, extension, and improvement of libraries as essential factors in the educational, social, and cultural needs of our Nation. Librarians and users of libraries have long appreciated the aid given by the Congress to the communication of ideas, culture, and information by the establishment of a special postage rate for books and a special library book rate. The Congress has given formal recognition to this fact in designating the educational materials rate and the library materials rate as a public service function in the Postal Policy Act of 1958. This action in the public interest has enabled public and other types of libraries to extend their services to all areas of the Nation and to all classes and ages of its citizens. The American Library Association, however, does feel obliged to protest the two new proposed rate increases: One, to raise the postage rate on educational materials from 9 to 10 cents for the first pound and from 5 to 6 cents on each succeeding pound; and, the second, to raise the postage rate on library materials from 4 to 5 cents on the first pound and from 1 to 3 cents on each succeeding pound. In the case of the educational materials rate, the increase is calculated at roughly 16 percent. In the case of the library materials rate, on the basis that the average weight of the parcels carrying these library materials is approximately 5 pounds, the increase is calculated to be 100 percent. In both cases, libraries will be hit by these increases. Libraries in most instances pay postage on the books they purchase. This is especially true in small cities and rural areas where shipments by truck are not feasible and the volume is not great enough. Libraries for the most part are supported by taxes, their budgets are tight, and any of these new postage charges mean simply one thingfew books for the education, information, and culture of our citizens. Libraries have high standards of selection, and the increased rate will reduce the available book funds for the purchase of wholesome, inspiring, and instructive books. Parenthetically, it should be noted that the need for expanded public library service was recognized by the 84th Congress which passed the Library Services Act of 1956 and appropriated Federal money to be matched with State money to remedy the situation. Here again the additional postage charges will be passed on to libraries and diminish the amount of library materials they can buy. In general, it should be noted that the proposed increase in the education materials rate will affect all types of libraries which purchase books and other library materials because the publisher or jobber generally adds mailing costs to the bill. This is true whether the purchaser be a public library, a college or university library, or a school library. In addition, all libraries will be materially affected by the proposed increase in first-class rates which will again have to be taken from the funds in the book budget. The library materials rate has encouraged the lending of books by public libraries to individuals in the nonurban places and to other libraries in those areas. The public libraries have increased their lending to the rural areas, and have made available to children, young people and adults the best of our recorded knowledge, material on current events, and works of inspiration and information. College and university libraries, likewise, use the library materials rate to lend their library resources beyond the confines of the campus. These needed books go by mail through interlibrary loan arrangements to other institutions, to scientists, to technicians, research workers, and just average citizens. The extent of this interlibrary lending is very large and has been growing constantly. Some idea of its magnitude is seen by the estimates of a group studying the question: LIBRARY MATERIALS RATE Estimated interlibrary loan transactions, 1958 University and college libraries (250.000 loans times 2). Public libraries (50,000 loans times 2). Government libraries (25,000 loans times 2) Special libraries (125,000 loans times 2). Mailings 500, 000 100, 000 150, 000 250,000 900, 000 Total--- 1 Estimated number sent by governmental libraries to nongovernmental libraries, oneseventh of the total loans of 175,000. Estimates on the increased cost to libraries or their patrons would amount to something like this: Present rate (900,000 at 9 cents per package). $81,000 162, 000 In the United States there are some 6,500 public library systems, 50 State library extension systems, about 200 State-supported libraries, over 1,800 college and university libraries, approximately 25,000 secondary school libraries, and an estimated 30,000 elementary school libraries. All of these libraries will be affected by the new rates. A letter of May 6, 1960, sent to some of these libraries by the American Library Association brought these replies: Pennsylvania State Library. Vermont Public Library Commission_. Southwest Wisconsin Library Center. Clinton-Essex County Library, New York. Prince Georges County Library, Maryland_ NOTE.-Method of absorption: Reduction in book purchases. 700 3, 410 240 450 185 100 660 115 100 85 Although individually some of the amounts are not large, when taken in connection with the total numbers of libraries, they assume significant proportions. Demand on libraries continues to increase with the rapid growth and redistribution of the population, the rise in the education level of our people, and the growing complexities of our civilization. Interlibrary loans and direct loans by mail to meet the information and book needs of people everywhere are becoming an increasingly important but costly part of library service. Libraries want to share their informational resources, and should be encouraged to remain a part of our national network of information. At this time of growing concern over meeting educational needs, it would seem to us to be in the public interest that the encouragement now given to the purchase and distribution of books and other educational materials as a matter of congressional policy be continued by the maintenance of the present educational materials and library materials rates. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, for the opportunity you have given me to present the views of the American Library Association on this proposed legislation. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any question of Mr. Greenaway? If not, thank you very much for your statement, Mr. Greenaway. Mr. GREENAWAY. Thank you, sir. The CHAIRMAN. The next witness will be Mr. Don White, executive vice president of the National Audiovisual Association, Inc. STATEMENT OF DON WHITE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL AUDIOVISUAL ASSOCIATION, FAIRFAX, VA. Mr. WHITE. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Don White, and I am the executive vice president of the National Audiovisual Association, with offices in Fairfax, Va. The organization I represent is the national association of companies who distribute, sell and produce educational and religious films, filmstrips, recordings and various other types of audiovisual materials for use in schools, churches and businesses, along with the equipment necessary to project or reproduce such audiovisual materials. We are a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of Illinois, and our membership comprises some 582 companies, including about 397 audiovisual dealers and film libraries who distribute our specialized types of products, plus about 185 film producers, manufacturers and other suppliers of audiovisual products. Our association has not taken any position on the proposed increases in the rates for first-, second- and third-class mail although, like other businesses, we make considerable use of these classes of mail. Mr. JOHANSEN. Mr. Chairman, may I interrupt to clarify one point, and I will preface this statement by saying that I am not of the group that believes that profit is a sin. While your organization is not a profit organization, the companies comprising it are, in many if not in all instances? Mr. WHITE. They try to be, if I may put it that way. Mr. JOHANSEN. Thank you. Mr. WHITE. My purpose in appearing before your committee this morning, Mr. Chairman, is to bring to your attention what we consider to be disproportionate and unjustified increases under section 8 of H.R. 11140 in the fourth-class rates which provide for the transmission through the mails of educational and library materials, including audiovisual materials such as educational and religious films, filmstrips, slides, transparencies, and similar items. Schools, churches, and other users of educational materials have been greatly aided by the special postal rates for books, films, and other audiovisual materials which have been in effect for some years. The postage charges on audiovisual materials are almost invariably paid by the schools and other organizations who use them. We feel that Congress has materially aided in the exchange of educational materials by means of this constructive and enlightened public policy. INCREASE OF 122 PERCENT PROPOSED The law currently provides that books, educational tests, films, and certain other types of educational materials may be mailed under the educational materials rate, which is 9 cents for the first pound and 5 cents for each additional pound. A library materials rate of 4 cents for the first pound and 1 cent for each additional pound applies to books, films, filmstrips and other audiovisual materials when these are sent to or from schools, libraries, churches, and similar nonprofit groups. The legislation now under consideration by your committee would increase the educational materials rate to 10 cents for the first pound and 6 cents for each additional pound. Figuring the average parcel for this particular classification of mail, which, according to the Post Office Department, weighs slightly over 5 pounds, this means that the postage would be increased from 29 cents to 34 cents. This is an increase of about 17 percent. Figured on the same basis, the increase for the library materials category is a very much greater percentage. An average parcel of between 5 and 6 pounds which at present would mail for 9 cents would, under the proposed new rate, cost 20 cents, an increase of 122 percent. Mr. Chairman, I would like to emphasize that these proposed rate increases will be paid largely by schools, churches, and other nonprofit organizations. It is difficult to understand why an increase of 122 percent must apply to the library materials rate used by these nonprofit organizations when the Congress has designated in the Postal Policy Act of 1958 that this is a public service function of the Post Office Department. EDUCATORS OPPOSE INCREASES Mr. Chairman, I would like to emphasize that the materials which are being shipped under these two rates are primarily educational and cultural in nature, and I would submit that this is not the time to place any handicaps on the wide distribution of such materials. Books and educational films must play an increasingly important part in our national life if our country is to meet the challenges of greatly increased scientific education, and more effective education generally, which have been posed by recent international develop ments. As a matter of fact, just 2 years ago the House of Representatives and the Congress specifically recognized the importance of audiovisual materials when it passed the National Defense Education Act, which, as you know, provides Federal matching money for the purchase of educational materials and equipment for the teaching of science, mathematics, and modern foreign languages. As a result of this well-designed and effective legislation, schools are today using many more instructional materials than ever before, and I can assure you that the result is going to be better education for our children. However, the proposed increases will seriously inhibit the circulation of such materials, and will actually reduce the amounts of materials available. To show these effects, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, I should like to introduce three letters from educators who are intimately familiar with the circulation and utilization of audiovisual materials. The first of these is from Dr. George W. Ormsby, consultant in the Bureau of Audiovisual and School Library Education of the California State Department of Education in Sacramento. writes: I have just heard that a House Post Office Committee is considering certain changes in both the library materials rate and the educational materials rate. Since Harry Skelly is on an official trip to Hawaii at the present time, I am writing you in regard to this matter. From the audiovisual standpoint where we use the library materials rate of 4 cents for the first pound and 1 cent for each additional pound, we would stand to lose approximately $50,000 in the State of California, money that is now being channeled into the purchase of audiovisual materials such as films, filmstrips, etc. Every district in the State of California has audiovisual services supplied by the county office. Sometimes they may be on a cooperative basis. Some of the very rural counties must depend entirely upon mailing instructional materials to their schools each day. In a county like Humboldt, the estimated change would increase mailing costs almost 300 percent, or from $1,000 a year to almost $4,000. |