[Mdpobc] LBPH Needs Your Help Immediately

[Teresa Graham]

I emailed him yesterday!!
Thanks, Teresa
On Feb 23, 2016 11:04 AM, "Chrissie Day- via Mdpobc" <mdpobc at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> I just called the Senator!!!
> Smiles,
>
> Chrissie Day-cmdayrdh at aol.com
>
> On Thursday, February 18, 2016, nfbmd via Mdpobc <mdpobc at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>
> 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. 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.
>
>
>
> [image: NFBMD Logo K Rect]
>
> *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 <410-715-9596>*
>
> *Email: nfbmd at earthlink.net <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
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mdpobc mailing list
> Mdpobc at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/mdpobc_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Mdpobc:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/mdpobc_nfbnet.org/cmdayrdh%40aol.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mdpobc mailing list
> Mdpobc at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/mdpobc_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Mdpobc:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/mdpobc_nfbnet.org/teresagraham3%40gmail.com
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/mdpobc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20160223/620e9485/attachment.html>