NYSHEI News

The Associated Press reports that Governor Spitzer will propose millions of dollars to cultivate “linkages” between university researchers and high-tech companies.

More details will emerge as we near the January 22 unveiling of the Executive State Budget Proposal.

A new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project challenges the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age.

The survey focuses on public libraries, but the results are interesting nonetheless.

On January 3, 2008, NYSHEI Executive Director Jason Kramer visited Columbia University to meet with James Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian, and Patricia Renfro, Deputy University Librarian, Associate Vice President for Digital Programs and Technology Services and former member of the NYSHEI Governing Board.

The three discussed the NYSHEI advocacy successes of 2007, plans for the coming year, and began to brainstorm future projects for NYSHEI.

Following the meeting, Ms. Renfro facilitated meetings with Columbia collection development leaders and an off-campus luncheon that included Robert Wolven, Jane Winland and Barbara List.

Governor Spitzer’s 2008 State of the State address acutely focused on two main themes: creating jobs and investing in higher education.

“Without world class education, we cannot have a world class economy. Last year we focused on pre-school to grade twelve. This year, we must also look beyond high school to our colleges and universities,” said Governor Spitzer

Among the Governor’s plans is the creation of a $4 billion endowment for SUNY and CUNY.

“The Governor’s focus aligns with the advocacy aims of NYSHEI. Our ARIA proposal is a cost-effective means of unleashing the strength of the higher education sector to develop the economy. By positioning academic libraries as critical ‘information infrastructure’ we can maintain our optimism while recognizing that this may be an exceptionally difficult year to secure any new funding,” said Jason Kramer, NYSHEI Executive Director.

“With the support of the Commission on Higher Education’s report, the described priorities of the Governor, and our friends in the Legislature, we have an opportunity for success,” Kramer continued. “The challenge will be to marshal the collective effort of academic librarians on behalf of ARIA.”

The influential journal Science has reversed course and rejoined JSTOR, a nonprofit online archive of scholarly publications.

NYSHEI joined a broad effort of academic librarians in advocating for this move, and therefore applauds the decision.

Read about the decision in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Read the NYSHEI statement on the matter.