E-Raters,  We have an opportunity to get our chief gripes about E-Rate
directly to the attention of the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) front
office.... if you can get back to me today.

I have been contacted as part of a targeted outreach effort by SLD to reach
those states that seem to have benefitted the least from the E-Rate Fund.  I
have promised to fire off an email to SLD with my "TOP TEN GRIPES" in hopes
that they will work with us to find a way to resolve them.  I could do this
list easily myself but I want to make sure my gripes match yours.  SO I'll
start the list and ask you to add to it.  I will post the completed list
back to these lists after I send it to SLD.  Thanks bunches especially those
of you who have already returned your Letter of Agency packet.  Edna

Maine's "TOP 10 GRIPES" about the E-Rate process.

1. The inability of SLD, the Client Service Bureau, PIA and NECA to
understand that Verizon IS New England Telephone, NYNEX and Bell Atlantic.
Any librarian worth their salt would have made a see reference connecting
these names and pointing out that the SPIN # 143001288 is listed as New
England Telephone because that was the name of our phone company when its
SPIN# was issued.  Their database is inaccurate and the problem should be
fixed by them without wasting the time of tech coordinators and library folk
at individual sites.

2.

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Edna M. Comstock, E-Rate Team
Coordinator Learning and Technology Services
Maine State Library
64 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0064
1-800-322-8899 or 207-287-5620
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