New York Education Officials Seek
$12 Million for Virtual Library
New York State education officials announced November 4 that they are seeking $12 million in state funds in 2000 for a so-called New York Online Virtual Electronic Library, or NOVEL. The system would give New Yorkers the option of using an electronic library card allowing access to everything from health databases and consumer ratings to historical documents and government regulations, including databases that are ordinarily available only for a fee.
NOVEL users would be able to retrieve the information at home or at public libraries using “e-library cards” issued by local libraries with an account protected by a password. A November 5 Associated Press report said a forerunner of the virtual library already exists through a federally financed New York State Library project called EmpireLink.
State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills announced the proposal well in advance of next year’s budget process. Gov. George E. Pataki is scheduled to present his budget proposal in January.
Posted November 8, 1999.
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