The Politics of LSCA during the Reagan and Bush Administrations: An Analysis

For over twenty-five years, the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) has been the principal source of federal support for library services in the United States. This popular categorical grant program was reauthorized by Congress over the objections of both the Reagan and Bush administrations. These reauthorizations came in a decade that saw funding for other social programs reduced. This article examines the organizational and political context of decisions directly related to the fate of LSCA from 1980 to 1992. This decision-making environment is then analyzed in terms of political values, structures, and strategies.