Dateline Trenton, NJ: -Efforts to use funds from the Higher Education Technology Bond Issue to create an academic virtual library system in NJ were significantly strengthened on April 11 when the NJIN Board of Directors agreed to embrace the project as one of its four primary initiatives in the coming year. Dr. John Gaboury, Assistant Vice President at William Paterson College and a newly elected member of the NJIN Board, explains that this formal “partnering” of efforts, undertaken in the spirit of collaboration, is an important development in the virtual library project. NJIN President, Dr. Joseph Moeller, announced that a new task force, chaired by John Gaboury, will be created to oversee the development of the virtual library system. In his remarks, Dr. Moeller referred to a suggested new working name for the library project as VALE (Virtual Academic Library Environment). This working title was suggested by Dr. Gaboury in an effort to avoid confusion and concern in the use of the term “network” in NJIN and NJAIN.

Dr. Moeller also announced that further planning efforts for the virtual library system will most likely include a proposed new NJIN committee and the existing NJIN Library Committee. At its April 25 meeting, the NJIN Board will consider the creation of a new Technology Group also to be chaired by John Gaboury. This group, in collaboration with the NJIN Library Committee, and other sub-groups created as necessary, will provide the organizational framework for building the virtual library proposal. Dr. Gaboury emphasized that the NJ library community will play a critical role in these working groups and be assigned key roles for developing the VALE proposal.

Dr. Gaboury views this recent development as a very positive step forward for the virtual library project, noting that it obviates concerns about two “networks” in NJ and that it eliminates competition between NJIN and the library community for the Higher Education Technology funds. He also reports that the timeline for awarding of funds has been extended to December, 1997 thus extending the time available for developing the proposals.

In a related development, Dr. Phillip Long, Director of Instruction, Research, and Technology at William Paterson College, was appointed to a two-member team charged with developing guidelines for an RFP. This document will be used to identify the consultant who will advise the Commission on Higher Education in awarding funds from the bond.

Continue to visit this Website! The list of volunteers to work on the VALE project will be posted at this Website by the end of the week and Dr. Gaboury will be contacting potential convenors of the work groups within the next two weeks. Further developments will continue to be posted to this site as well

As the project develops, please check the NJAIN WEBSITE: /~njain for updates.

If you have further questions or suggestions, please send e-mail to Dr. John Gaboury.