[Greater-Baltimore] LBPH Needs Your Help Immediately

[nfbmd]

Hello all,

 

The Maryland Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped budget needs
to be protected. Next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 23 and 24, I
want you to call or email the following people and tell them that the staff
positions listed in the budget must not be cut. Tell the Senators not to cut
$48,470 from the budget. 

 

The area code is either 410-841 plus the extension or 301-858 plus the
extension. 

 

If you live in Montgomery County, call Senator Nancy King. Her extension is
3686. 

 

If you live in PG County, call Senator Ulysses Curry, his extension is 3127.

 

If you live in Hagerstown, call Senator Andrew Serafini, his extension is
5540.

 

If you live in Baltimore city, call Senator Bill Ferguson at 3600.

 

Everyone else should call the Chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation
Committee, Senator Edward Kasemeyer at 3653. 

 

Remember the email address is firstname.lastname at senate.state.md.us
<mailto:firstname.lastname at senate.state.md.us> . Look for a message in early
March with the names of delegates to call. 

 

Below is a fact sheet about the library budget for your reference. 

 




To:                  Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee of
the Senate Budget

and Taxation Committee and 

Education and Economic Development Subcommittee of the House Appropriations
Committee

From:             Members of the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland

 

Contact:         Sharon Maneki, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

9013 Nelson Way

Columbia, MD 21045

Phone: 410-715-9596

Email: nfbmd at earthlink.net

 

Subject:          Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped Budget

 


	
		
 


The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH)
program was neglected for many years because it had no line item budget in
the Department of Education.  To remedy this deplorable problem, a new
funding formula for LBPH was established during the 2014 session of the
General Assembly mandating the governor to fund LBPH to at least 25% of the
funding received by the SLRC. 

LBPH is the major source of reading material for blind children, senior
citizens and working-age adults. This is not a luxury program.  Currently,
LBPH fails to meet its mission.  Blind children are not gaining in literacy
skills because they cannot get enough Braille books to read.  The books
exist, but there is not enough staff to get them to the students who need
them.  Many blind seniors losing vision do not know about this valuable
program because the library does not have enough staff to do outreach and
explain the benefits of the program.  Lives are seriously diminished due to
this lack of information.  Blind persons of working age have little access
to existing reference material at LBPH because there is not enough staff to
answer the phone and provide needed information.  

The 2017 budget includes a request for 14 new regular positions for LBPH.
This request is not expanding the program.  These positions will allow a
failing program to function.  Currently, LBPH serves merely 8% of its
potential customer base.  Since people are living longer, and more of the
aging population is losing vision, the customer base will be increasing
yearly. LBPH needs to be able to serve this growing population. 

The Department of Legislative Services must understand that the purpose of
the funding formula is to provide staff to keep the doors of the program
open.  New personnel is the most effective use of this funding since there
will be no program if there is no staff.  The Department of Legislative
Services recommendation to reduce the library budget by $48,470 should also
be rejected.  LBPH is losing its knowledge base because staff is leaving due
to the untenable working conditions. Without an infusion of
critically-needed staff, the goal of saving a much-needed program will not
be achieved.

 

 

Sharon Maneki, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

410-715-9596

 

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