University library resources face funding cut
Marissa Graziadio / Correspondent
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Page One
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The NJ State Library received funding from the state legislature to develop the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative program which provides access to academic resources for NJ college and university libraries, small businesses with 50 or fewer employees, small science corporations and to several regional public libraries, said University librarian Marianne Gaunt.
In 2005, members of the New Jersey Assembly and Senate Budget Committees supported the Knowledge Initiative program and helped secure $6 million in funding over two years.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine allocated $3 million for the databases in his fiscal year 2008 budget, according to the NJ Knowledge Initiative website.
But because of state budget issues, $1 million was cut from the allocation, said Karen Price, an NJKI program consultant.
The databases are paid for, but after Feb. 28 the contract will be up and they will be shut down if the $1 million is not reinstated. More than 300 businesses and New Jersey colleges registered will lose access, Price said.
Without the databases conveniently providing access right to the computer desktops of faculty, researchers and business people alike, many well be at a disadvantage and the loss will have wide-reaching effects, said New Jersey State Librarian, Norma Blake.
It will become more difficult to develop new technologies, small businesses will be weakened, major research institutions will lose access to vital resources and New Jersey will have to pay $34 million more annually, according to an NJKI fact sheet.
The program has garnered overwhelming support. Blake said she has received hundreds of letters from graduate students, life science professors, deans and business people about how their work has benefited from NJKI.