Accomplishments
CLPAC has made annual contributions to Colorado General Assembly leaders in each year of its existence. These contributions have been instrumental in securing legislative support for such library issues as
- Sustenance and/or increases in state appropriations for the
- The Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC), the sole remnant of the Regional Library Service Systems.*
- Colorado Resource Center through the Denver Public Library.*
- ACLIN (Access Colorado Library Information Network), which brings you the Colorado Virtual Library.
- Passage, in 1999, the "State Grants for Libraries" legislation that provided a minimum of $3,000 per qualifying library for the purchase of educational materials (subsequently vetoed by Governor Bill Owens).
- Passage again, in 2000, the "State Grants for Libraries" legislation that provided a minimum of $3,000 per qualifying library for the purchase of educational materials (enacted and signed into law).*
- Revision of the Library Law (Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-90) during the 2003 legislative session.
- Intellectual freedom, in the form of fighting proposed legislation that would be harmful to this democratic cornerstone.
Specifically, CLPAC has also provided financial support for activities that individual libraries cannot legally provide:
- Statewide distribution of informational literature on the "Bucks for Books" campaign that ultimately evolved into the State Grants legislation.
- Contributions and in-kind assistance to issue-oriented campaigns that impacted libraries:
- Taxation amendments and initiatives
- Funding for public education
The CLPAC works closely with the Colorado Association of Libraries, particularly its Legislative Committee and its lobbyists, to ensure that the overall objectives of the annual library legislative agenda are achieved.
*Unfortunately, these programs have been decimated by recent State budget shortfalls, but commitment to the restoration of these services remains an active part of the annual legislative agenda.
