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Excellent progress is being made on the SUNY Digital Library proposal. The various SUNY-wide groups involved are striving to have the proposal included in the SUNY budget (2008-09).

Those groups include the SUNY Council of Library Directors (originated the idea), S.A.C. (charged by SCLD to formulate the proposal), and OLIS. In addition to support from those groups, the initiative has been endorsed by the SUNY Faculty Senate and the SUNY Librarians Association

"The SUNY Digital Library is a program to expand access to scholarly electronic content for every student, faculty and staff in the State University of New York." (quotes from "Proposal for a Comprehensive SUNY Digital Library -- Resources for a World-class University System")

The proposal includes nine million dollars of new funding. These funds would be matched with campus monies. The SUNY "Digital Library will provide comprehensive, up-to-date information resources in the most economical way possible."

Many of us involved in SUNYConnect see this as a SUNY priority that is past due. Namely, that a SUNY-wide initiative related to present-day librarianship should include additional vetted electronic information resources that are available to the entire university community.

While arguably past due, the proposal is not by any means a fait accompli. Upcoming decisions by the SUNY administration, the governor's office and the legislature are essential to continuing the progress on this intiative.

With that in mind, key individuals have been involved in additional advocacy. This includes presentations to SUNY administrators, SUNY chief academic officers, and at other venues. Thanks to those making the effort to bring SUNY into the 21st century of information access.