Betty Ann O'Brien

Name: Betty Ann O'Brien
E-mail: bao@stlib.state.pa.us
Organization: Commonwealth Libraries
City and State: Harrisburg, pa
Date: Oct. 17 - 09:01 AM
Submitted from: w37-218.stlib.state.pa.us <164.156.106.37>

1a. Has the seminar made it more likely that your school district or library will participate in the Universal Service discount program?

1b. At what level is your organization applying for the Universal Service discount?

2a. What long-term service contracts does your library or school districts currently have in effect?

2b. When will these contracts expire?

3a. Has your school or library decided upon an estimated date for the completion and submission of the E-rate application?

3b. If yes, please indicate your estimated application date.

4. Please list any additional comments you have for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

I am not able to answer these q's since I do not run a library. My comment is to question 3 a+b. Until just now the application period was not known. I was lead to believe these would have to be submitted in the next 6 to 8 weeks or certainly this year. So small libs which have been having trouble understanding and dealing with all of this; probably by now have thrown up their hands with frustration. Now it appears this is not rush, rush, rush, hurry up. We just got notice of a window of time being allowed. We do not know what that time frame is. From this question does it imply a very extended application period? This whole seminar has been helpful. Mostly in letting us know just how uncertain and unclear much of this is. As was pointed out in the memo we received about the window to apply; schoold districts with large staffs and technical people and busniess manager people can deal with this a lot easier than a small public library with little or no assistance and certainly no time. Thank you.