August 9, 2007

Almaden Library to host new CaliforniaSpeaks Web cast

Join Californians in making your voice heard

San Jose's Almaden Library and Community Center will host a CaliforniaSpeaks Web cast, a viewing and related discussion on health care reform, in the Program Room on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6445 Camden Ave.

The event is being held at eight satellite-linked regional sites dispersed throughout the state. Local residents will view the Web cast on health care reform, hold their own discussions and contribute their views to the statewide discussion.

The CaliforniaSpeaks forum, which blends state-of-the-art technology with face-to-face, small-group dialogue, will involve locations in San Diego County, Humboldt County, Fresno County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, San Luis Obispo County, Alameda-San Francisco counties and Riverside-San Bernardino counties. Data from participants who contributed via the Web site would be summarized and presented to political leadership in addition to the data from the main satellite meetings.

California Speaks offers a unique opportunity for broad-based participation in the debate on health care reform. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata, Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines and other Republican and Democratic legislators will be involved.

During the meetings (both regional and local), attendees will focus their attention on the current health proposals that will be debated in the Californian Legislature before it adjourns in September. Participants will be asked to discuss and share their perspectives on these proposals, and a summary of the recommendations made by the participants will then be presented directly to the governor and the legislature for their consideration.

"Health care is a crucial issue for all Californians," said Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer, Ph.D., president and founder of AmericaSpeaks. "Now that the reform proposals are about to be debated, CaliforniaSpeaks offers the people of this state a unique way to talk about the issue with their neighbors and give lawmakers their direct feedback."

CaliforniaSpeaks is made possible by grants from The California Endowment, Blue Shield of California Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation. The project is being organized by AmericaSpeaks, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with the mission of providing Americans with a greater voice in the decisions that affect their lives. See www.californiaspeaks.org. for more details.

San Jose Public Library system (SJPL) is the largest public library system between San Francisco and Los Angeles on California's Central Coast, serving a culturally diverse population of 954,000 in the nation's tenth largest city. Recipient of the prestigious national Library of the Year award, SJPL is recognized across the country for its innovation and leadership in the field and is one of the busiest libraries nationwide, with an annual checkout rate of more than 14 million items.