The 2013 MLA-MEMO Library Legislative Forum has been scheduled for Tuesday, July 30 at the Great River Regional Library in St. Cloud. In order to help shape the July 30 conversations, we are seeking some input on the general topics that MLA and MEMO members would like to see touched upon on July 30 for consideration as content for the 2014 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform. Discussion on July 30 will not necessarily be limited to topics collected through this survey tool, but we hope to gain a sense of which topics appear to have broadest support from the membership of the two organizations. Some topics have already been suggested and are included in this survey to help generate conversation. Please feel free to add additional topics.

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* 1. What is your membership affiliation? This information is collected only for demographic purposes.

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* 2. The 2014 Session of the Minnesota Legislature is a "bonding" session where much of the focus during the session will be a capital bonding bill. In previous years, the MLA-MEMO Platform has advocated for funding for the "Public Library Acessibility & Improvement Grants" program. Do you feel that the 2014 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform should again seek funding for this program? Feel free to explain your position.

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* 3. The 2014 Session of the Minnesota Legislature is a "bonding" session where much of the focus during the session will be a capital bonding bill. In previous years, the MLA-MEMO Platform has expressed support for academic library construction projects that have been indentified. Typically, the academic institutions that are seeking the bonding funds for a library project provide the primary lobbying efforts. The MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform can serve as vehicle for identifying and promoting such projects. Are you aware of any academic library projects that will seek bonding or planning funds during the 2014 Session of the Minnesota Legislature? Please elaborate.

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* 4. The 2014 Session of the Minnesota Legislature is a "bonding" session where much of the focus during the session will be a capital bonding bill. In addition to public library or academic library projects, are you aware of any potential bonding projects that you think should be indentified in the 2014 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform? Please explain.

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* 5. The 2013 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform included a request for funding to subscribe, implement, and promote an online, free homework help system for students of all ages across the state of Minnesota. If it appears that the Minnesota Legislature will consider appropriation requests during the 2014 Session, would you support again pursuing funding for a homework help system? Please explain.

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* 6. The 2013 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform included language requesting that the "entire proceeds of the Permanent School Fund" be dedicated "for school technology and library media resources." The proposal did not garner a lot of legislative support before and during the 2013 Session. Should this proposal be considered again for the 2014 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform? Please explain.

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* 7. The Minnesota Broadband Task Force has indentified schools and libraries as important community assets. Should the 2014 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform address broadband connectivity and availability issues? Please elaborate.

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* 8. It was recently annnounced that the federal government is "enlisting the help" of public libraries across the U.S. to help provide information to their patrons about new health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act. Do you feel that this is an issue that might need to be addressed in the 2014 MLA-MEMO Legislative Platform? Please elaborate.

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* 9. Are there topics and issues that you would like to see discussed on July 30 at the MLA-MEMO Legislative Forum that have not been identified in the preceding questions? Please explain.

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