[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 626 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 626

  To establish a system of State-based electronic libraries, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               March 22 (legislative day, March 3), 1993

   Mr. Kerrey (for himself, Mr. Exon, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Bradley, Mr. 
Hatfield, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Bingaman, and Mr. Lieberman) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a system of State-based electronic libraries, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that:
            (1) A confluence of technologies has made or soon will make 
        possible the delivery of or access to a wide range of 
        information and informational services, including educational 
        and research data, to our homes, schools and communities.
            (2) Interactive, multimedia programs offer special 
        opportunities for both formal and informal education and 
        learning, particularly in science, mathematics, geography, 
        languages, and multidisciplinary areas.
            (3) Such information and services can improve productivity, 
        provide individuals new choices for their lives and improve the 
        quality of their lives.
            (4) Such information and services should be available to 
        all Americans.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to provide for the creation of a 
system of State-based electronic libraries which--
            (1) provide delivery of or access to a vast array of 
        interactive, multimedia educational programs, research and 
        informational data and services, and networking opportunities;
            (2) seek to make these materials available to all Americans 
        through public libraries, electronic databases and 
        telecommunications systems such as the Internet or other 
        publicly available networks, which reach into the home, school, 
        and community; and
            (3) provide robust and reliable computer program support 
        services for search and retrieval, including, but not limited 
        to, tools for intelligent querying, aids in formulating search 
        strategies, indexes and inventories of available resources and 
        mechanisms to guide the user, and which make provision for 
        education and training programs in the use of the electronic 
        library resources.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION.

    The National Science Foundation, in consultation with the 
Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Defense 
Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Library of Congress, is 
authorized to make multiyear grants to States to develop electronic 
libraries. These libraries shall provide delivery of and access to a 
variety of databases, computer programs and interactive multimedia 
presentations, including educational materials, research information, 
statistics and reports developed by Federal, State and local 
governments and other information and informational services which can 
be carried over the Internet and similar networks, including the 
advanced capabilities of the National Research and Education Network 
when they become available.

SEC. 4. CRITERIA.

    In order to qualify for a grant, a State shall:
            (1) Establish a statewide committee consisting of 
        representatives of the educational, library, information, 
        telecommunications, governmental and business communities, and 
        the public at large to develop and implement the plan described 
        in paragraph (2). Members of such committee shall be appointed 
        by the Governor, or the Governor's designee.
            (2) Develop a statewide plan for a network accessible 
        electronic library capable of producing, obtaining, storing, 
        retrieving and disseminating data and interactive multimedia 
        programs, information and informational services; provide for 
        widespread access to such library, including access from the 
        school and home; publicize the existence of such a library; and 
        develop user friendly instructional programs on how to access 
        and use the library. The plan shall provide for--
                    (A) hardware and software for demonstration and use 
                purposes. Such hardware and software shall include but 
                not be limited to computer-based servers and work 
                stations, CD-ROMS, network access, including 
                terrestrial and satellite access, computer programs for 
                search and retrieval and other computer hardware, 
                software and networking technologies, as appropriate. 
                Such technologies shall, to the extent possible, adhere 
                to standards which promote open architecture and 
                interoperability;
                    (B) software and programs, which identify and 
                provide access to a broad range of materials, including 
                but not limited to--
                            (i) multimedia educational programs which 
                        are commercially available;
                            (ii) information developed by Federal 
                        departments and agencies, especially 
                        information developed for digitalized libraries 
                        and available electronically;
                            (iii) information developed by State and 
                        local governments, which is or can easily be 
                        made available electronically; and
                            (iv) information developed by colleges, 
                        universities, libraries and other research and 
                        educational institutions which is available 
                        electronically;
                    (C) networking, including but not limited to--
                            (i) connectivity to the Internet and other 
                        information services, including the National 
                        Research and Education Network when it becomes 
                        available;
                            (ii) dial-in access; and
                            (iii) access to other advanced means of 
                        accessing materials in the library from the 
                        home, school and community, at least on a pilot 
                        basis;
                    (D) programs to facilitate the production of 
                computer graphics, software programs, and customized 
                materials for use in the classroom, to be made 
                available to representatives of libraries and 
                educational institutions;
                    (E) access to bibliographic information and other 
                information available electronically such as that 
                contained in the Library of Congress, and colleges and 
                universities throughout the country;
                    (F) databases of information on services available 
                at the State or local level of government, including 
                relevant material on how and where to apply for such 
                services;
                    (G) coordination with and, where feasible, linkage 
                to other similar systems within the State and, when 
                available, those developed under the high performance 
                computing and communications initiative;
                    (H) an education and training program designed to 
                assist people in comprehending and utilizing the 
                technology effectively and locating electronic 
                information resources; and
                    (I) innovative or experimental efforts designed to 
                advance networking of electronic information resources 
                and public access to them.
            (3) Commit to participate with National Science Foundation 
        designated coordination mechanisms as necessary to ensure 
        efficient interoperability with other State systems. The 
        National Science Foundation, in designating such mechanisms, 
        shall consult with the Department of Commerce, the Defense 
        Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Department of 
        Education.
            (4) Provide matching funds, in cash or in kind, from State 
        or private sources equal to at least 30 percent of the total 
        grant cost.

SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY.

    States which meet the criteria in section 4 shall be eligible to 
apply for grants under this Act. 

SEC. 6. TRANSFER OF FUNDS.

    The National Science Foundation under section 1501 of title 31, 
United States Code, is authorized to transfer funds on a reimbursable 
basis to other agencies of the Federal Government which can effectively 
participate in this effort.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    To carry out this Act, there are authorized for fiscal year 1994, 
$10,000,000; for fiscal year 1995, $25,000,000; for fiscal year 1996, 
and each fiscal year thereafter, such sums as may be necessary.

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