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“I selected Senator Jack Reed for the Crystal Apple for his years of unwavering support for school libraries,” said Harvey. “Senator Reed has been a strong advocate working to secure support and funding for school libraries in Congress. He truly gets the value and importance of 21st century school libraries in our education ecosystem and has been helping to spread that message as he works with his colleagues in Congress. With the Crystal Apple, we recognize and thank him for all his work and efforts to support school libraries as a critical part of preparing students for their future.”

Senator Reed has proven himself to be a strong and vocal supporter of the role the school library program plays in the education of the nation’s students. In July of 2011, Senator Reed and Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi reintroduced the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLs) Act and included key provisions to support school libraries. In the following October, in conjunction with Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey, Senator Reed invited AASL representatives to present a congressional briefing to advocate for the inclusion of the SKILLs Act in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization.

When the SKILLs act was withdrawn due to lack of support on the committee and the HELP committee recommendedESEA without a library provision, Senator Reed continued to stand firm on the need for support for school libraries. Recently, he and Sen. Olympia Snow sent a letter with bi-partisan support to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee asking for funding for the Library Services and Technology Act. His efforts have resulted in $28.6 million for school libraries and literacy programs in this year’s appropriations law. A minimum of half of those must go to low income school libraries.