April 4, 1996

Office of the Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554

Re: Docket No. 96-45

I am writing to comment on the Notice of Proposed Rule Making, Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, CC Docket No. 96-45.

Access to advanced telecommunications services at a discounted rate is vital for the maintenance of the public library tradition in America, and essential for college libraries as well.

Libraries and their users increasingly depend on the currency and ease of use of electronic information. More up-to-date, more easily used and more cost-effective, the information is vital to Americans, be they students, business persons, or those seeking information to otherwise maintain and improve their life situation, such as health, government and consumer information. The Internet has become the standard source and vehicle for such information.

Libraries are the Internet contact point for their communities, open to all, providing assistance to ttie neophyte and access for the experienced. Access is provided at no cost to the user, providing for those without home PCs or Internet access. As the use of the Internet increases, and the use of graphical and multimedia information, the telecommunications bandwidth needed to support these users is ever increasing. Fractional T1, full T1 and some T3 lines are necessary to support these users. These must be among the services provided to libraries at a discount. And the discounts should be substantial, as libraries strive to serve the information have-nots with very limited funding. Funding provided by municipalties and colleges to libraries is level at best, with no prospects for increases.

Libraries frequently aggregate into consortia to cost-effectively acquire and share access to computer systems, the Internet and electronic resources. Provisions must be made in regulations to include non-profit consortia of libraries in any discount plans.

Our consortium, the North Of Boston Library Exchange, was founded 15 years ago by five foresighted public libraries, and has grown to 25 public and college libraries, serving over 550,000 residents and college students. Member libraries share resources through a common database and computer system linked by dedicated data lines, and share electronic access to a periodical database. Access to the Internet is provided jointly by the consortium, a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation which is controlled by the member libraries.

Only libraries participate in these efforts, and services are not resold.

The free public library is a root of American democracy and must not be allowed to wither but must be strengthened in any way possible.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Ronald A. Gagnon
Executive Director

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