NYSHEI News

The 2010 NYSHEI Annual Meeting is set for June 8, at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Plan on joining us at beautiful Skidmore, located off historic Broadway in Saratoga.  Register today.

This year’s program will feature leaders from the higher education community, state government and economic development organizations.  By continuing to explore the role of academic and research libraries as critical “information infrastructure” supporting teaching, learning, scholarship, research, and the broader economy, NYSHEI’s annual gathering will help all sides understand the challenges and opportunities in developing greater collaboration.

Recognizing the difficult budgets facing our institutions, NYSHEI is pleased to offer free registration for attendees from NYSHEI member institutions and invited guests.  This offer is made possible by the generous support we receive from event sponsors.

Look for the full program to be announced in the next few days.  Information about our sponsors, available lodging, and travel will soon follow.  Register now.

Please contact Jason Kramer with any questions.

Register today for the NYSHEI Annual Membership Meeting.

On June 9, at the University at Albany, members of the NYS Higher Education Initiative will gather to renew and reinforce our connection to state policy makers.  The day will provide a unique opportunity to interact with state decision makers, and advance our efforts to win them to our cause.

Along with plenty of opportunity to hear from NYSHEI staff and board members about the course and actions of NYSHEI, the program will feature a number of guest speakers.

The day begins with a detailed briefing by 2006 Republican candidate for NYS Governor, John J. Faso.  Mr. Faso is impeccably qualified to describe the current political and economic landscape of New York, and will be available for questions.  Currently a partner in the lobbying-law firm of Manatt, Phelps, Phillips, Mr. Faso is the former leader of the State Assembly Minority Conference, and the chair of the Pataki transition budget team, as well as a Commissioner of the non-partisan legislative bill drafting commission.   Long before there was a Brennan Center report, Mr. Faso was a champion of government reform and the orginator of many measures still heralded by good government groups.  No one in New York is better qualified to illuminate the political and economic scene at the state capital.

Newly installed State Librarian Bernard Margolis will follow lunch as the keynote speaker.  This distinguished librarian, and former head of the Boston Public Library, will layout his vision for broad collaboration that results in the “information infrastructure” envisioned by NYSHEI.  Mr. Margolis became the State Librarian in January of 2009.

The two legislative champions of NYSHEI’s Academic Research Information Access (ARIA) act, will be on hand for a panel discussion.  Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D-Kenmore), chair of the Assembly Committee on Economic Development, and Senator William Stachowski (D-Buffalo), chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, are the lead sponsors of ARIA in their respective houses.  Both will describe the importance of ARIA to the state economy and discuss prospects for success in the legislature.

Also on the day’s agenda is Steve Sanders.  Mr. Sanders is a renowed leader on educational policy, having served as Chair of the Assembly Education Committee during his long tenure in the State Legislature.  Today Mr. Sanders is partner at the lobbying firm of CraneSanders, and as a critical and well-connected lobbyist for NYSHEI.  Mr. Sanders will provide further illumination on the political views of academic and research libraries and field questions about how we can enhance those views.

More details about the day are available on the NYSHEI website events page.

Plan to join us for an informative meeting and network with academic library colleagues from across the state.

Keynote speaker is New York State Librarian Bernard Margolis, who will share his vision for New York’s libraries. Learn about NYSHEI advocacy efforts on behalf of New York’s academic libraries. Hear from state policy makers on our economic climate, higher education and research innovation. Come a day early and join the NYSHEI Board for a day of academic library advocacy at the Capitol.

To encourage broad participation, there will be no registration fee for this year’s meeting!

Save the Date!

What: NYSHEI Annual Meeting

When: June 9, 2009, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where: University at Albany, Science Library – Standish Room

Elsevier is sponsoring the 6th Annual Meeting of NYSHEI at the platinum level. This is the highest level of direct support.

“Elsevier has sponsored every single meeting of NYSHEI, and their support continues to grow. Elsevier has been an active and energetic partner as NYSHEI pursues it goals. I sincerely thank them for their commitment to the academic and research libraries of New York,” said Jason Kramer, Executive Director of NYSHEI.

“Working with NYSHEI has helped us to gain a better perspective of the ongoing challenges facing New York libraries, allowing us to better anticipate their needs and open the dialogue toward solutions. Our continued partnership with NYSHEI is essential to building stronger relationships with these libraries and provides an opportunity to help further their missions,” said Kelli L. Gonzalez, Account Manager, Elsevier.

Elsevier will have a visible presence at the Syracuse meeting, and will offer product demonstrations in a private room next to the main meeting space.

“I hope that all NYSHEI members will stop by, thank Elsevier for their support, and take a few minutes to learn more about the company, its people and products,” said Kramer.

Blackwell’s Book Services is sponsoring the NYSHEI Annual Meeting at the Bronze Level.

Blackwell’s serves over 15,000 academic, research and special libraries in 120 countries. Through a personalized network of services, from approval plans, firm orders, out-of-print, standing orders, and opening day collections to other features such as table of contents enrichment and electronic new title announcement services, Blackwell’s combines longstanding methods of traditional bookselling with the latest information technology.

“I am grateful to Blackwell’s for supporting NYSHEI, and look forward to future opportunities to partner together. I encourage all attendees to take a few moments to visit our friends on June 2,” said Jason Kramer of NYSHEI.

This is the first time Blackwell’s is sponsoring the NYSHEI Annual Meeting.