[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 86 (Friday, June 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1177-E1178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            A GREAT AMERICAN POINT OF LIGHT, EILEEN D. COOKE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2000

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, Eileen D. Cooke was first and foremost a 
librarian, a member of the profession that knows where to find the 
information about any phenomenon known to human kind. She started her 
career as a bookmobile librarian for the Minneapolis Public Library. 
She concluded her career as a well-known Washington lobbyist. Mr. 
Speaker, I rise to mourn the loss of Eileen Cooke and to salute her as 
a great American Point of Light.
  As a result of Eileen Cooke's efforts the library profession moved 
into the mainstream of the political process. She demanded that the 
federal government recognize and respect libraries as universal 
institutions in our democratic society which deserve greater and more 
consistent support. Her years as Director of the ALA Washington Office 
were marked by increases in federal funds for libraries, new 
initiatives in legislation, and opportunities for library participation 
in a wide range of federal assistance programs. As a Congressman who is 
also a professional librarian I became a partner with Ms. Cooke in the 
drive to achieve priority status for libraries in the overall effort to 
accomplish a better educated America.
  With indefatigable optimism Eileen Cooke worked with Members of 
Congress, staff assistants, educational and cultural organizations, and 
all others who supported education and libraries. She brought to ALA 
and library services greater visibility and understanding. Her 
exceptional leadership skills enabled her to develop and maintain a 
small but dedicated, energetic and productive staff. She left a cadre 
of experienced and skillful followers as a potent and enduring legacy.
  After joining the ALA Washington Office, she lectured at several of 
the library schools and spoke at many of the annual conferences of the 
state library associations. She served on the boards of several 
Washington-based organizations; was the first woman president of the 
Joint Council on Educational Telecommunications; served on the Board of 
Visitors of the School of Library and Information Service Satellite 
Consortium; and on the Advisory Council of the Home and School 
Institute, Inc.
  During her tenure in Washington, Eileen Cooke worked on every major 
piece of library legislation and helped prepare witnesses to testify 
before Congress. This includes, among other issues, the Library 
Services and Construction Act, the Higher Education Act, the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act, the Medical Library Assistance Act, 
Copyright Revision Act, the National Commission on Libraries and 
Information Science, both bills calling for a White House Conference on 
Library and Information Services, as well as the various annual 
appropriations bills to fund these programs.
  On the occasion of her retirement, former ALA President and Director 
of the District of Columbia Public Library, Hardy Franklin, described 
Eileen Cooke as a ``51st State Senator on Capitol Hill.'' She was a 
fighter capable of hard-nose analysis but always focused and 
deliberative. She was a coalition builder who won both fear and 
admiration from her adversaries. Above all she had vision and could see 
far ahead of the government decision-makers. She understood the nature 
of the coming ``Information Superhighway'' and could predict the vital 
role of libraries and librarians as the traffic signals on this 
expressway into the cyber-civilization of the future.
  Mr. Speaker, the work of Eileen D. Cooke benefits all Americans. She 
has won the right to be celebrated and saluted as a Great American 
Point-of-Light.

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