The 30th anniversary of the E-Rate program is a time to both celebrate what it has achieved for libraries and focus our work to preserve its future. The Telecommunications Act of 1996, signed into law on February 8, expanded the definition of essential communications services to include telecommunications and high-speed internet. It established the E-Rate program, which provides schools and libraries with discounts on internet and other telecommunications services and the equipment they need to use them. Today, virtually all public libraries in the United States offer internet access. About 73% of all public libraries and more than 96% of public schools in the United States receive E-Rate discounts, totaling more than $2 billion per year, to enable this access. While library services made possible by E-Rate provide important benefits everywhere, people in rural and tribal areas often have the greatest need for improved connectivity.…