The Statewide Internet Library

(This is an HTML version of the PowerPoint slide show.)

The foundation of New York's Information Infrastructure

We live in an information-driven society.
Everything from good health care, to higher learning levels in K-16, and advanced research and development requires quick access to reliable, quality information.

What is the Statewide Internet Library?

The Statewide Internet Library is an online library that provides all New Yorkers with quality information not freely available on the general Internet. These are some of the thousands of reputable publications that you can find full-text via The Statewide Internet Library. You can find professional, health, science, and business publications – even the New York Times!
The Statewide Internet Library has been tried and tested via the NOVELNY pilot project.
Some think that all the information anyone needs is freely available on the Internet.
But the general Internet has many shortcomings.

This is an example of what we find with a search for ‘Statins’ on the General Internet.

This is an advertisement for Crestor from Astrazeneca – producers and sellers of Crestor.
It provides an illustration of the shortcomings of the General Internet.
Ads proliferate – no matter what you search for. Sellers pay search engines for top placement of their links or alter the code of their web pages to fool search engines into putting them at the top of the lists.
There are no standards of quality and anyone can publish on the Internet. When you search for important information, you could be reading an ad, something from a disgruntled employee or consumer, or something written by a 6th grader.
The General Internet is on the World Wide Web – everyone and anyone can be on the Internet with you – or with your child or grandchild is. Users are subject to information that may be erroneous, bogus, incorrect, offensive, or even predatory.
You will only find information on the general Internet that is publicly available. Copyright laws and other realities prohibit much valuable information from being made freely available on the general Internet. Articles or other information from private proprietary sources, like those required for academic and other research, cannot be retrieved or require payment by the user.

Looking for information via the Statewide Internet Library sample screen The Statewide Internet LIBRARY does what libraries have always done - provide reliable information that meets standards of quality :

Here’s what you find if you search the Statewide Internet Library for ‘Statins.’
This is a full-text article is from a known and reliable source - the magazine American Family Physician. There are no ads, you know it’s quality information.
All of the information provided by the Statewide Internet Library has been peer reviewed, reviewed by editorial boards, or evaluated in other ways by experts. You know you are getting relevant, quality information.
The Statewide Internet Library is not open to the World Wide Web – users are within a safe environment of reliable information and are not subject to other users or inappropriate material.

The Statewide Internet Library!

The Statewide Internet Library provides all New Yorkers with 24/7 online access to full text of thousands of newspapers and magazines, plus general reference, business, consumer health, and age-appropriate materials for students.
It can be accessed via more than 5000 libraries statewide– including public, school, and college libraries – as well as remotely from home, school, or office.
Even as a pilot project, the Statewide Internet Library has become an important resource for schools and local communities.
The average elementary school library has 25 magazine subscriptions –the Statewide Internet Library gives them over 300, as well as age appropriate research resources, and e-books.
For many school libraries – particularly those in high need communities –the Statewide Internet Library is the only source they have of current electronic and Internet resources.
Communities benefit from the cost-effectiveness of the program. For every dollar invested at the state level in the Statewide Internet Library , a local library would have to pay $35 to receive the same resources individually.

Who can use the Statewide Internet Library?

All New Yorkers can access the Statewide Internet Library via the NOVELNY pilot project using a library card or a New York State Driver license or valid non-driver ID.

How many people use the Statewide Internet Library?

number of searches per year: click for text version

(Text version of chart is available.)

New York ranks 35th behind other states in per capita spending on an Internet library.

The Statewide Internet Library

The foundation of New York's Information Infrastructure