As we end our fiscal year at the New Hampshire State Library, there are a number of things that were started with this biennial budget that will have an impact on New Hampshire libraries and citizens for a number of years to come. The most important is the new automation system that will come on-line later this year. The new system, developed by epixtech, we believe, will transform the way in which New Hampshire libraries serve their customers. Epixtech is a web based system, which means libraries in New Hampshire will find it much easier to use than previous New Hampshire union catalogs.

We have reached the point in our development where the Internet is now the most efficient vehicle to transport information. With more than 65% of New Hampshire households connected to the Internet, we can see the day when the home computer will be as common as the telephone. New Hampshire is a high tech state with a large percentage of its work force engaged in the knowledge economy. The State Library is a part of that knowledge economy. We are providing an important component of the infrastructure needed to enable New Hampshire citizens and businesses to have access to a wide range of information services. The State Library continues to expand the databases offered to libraries at no charge and continues to expand the number of eligible institutions that can access the databases. This year the State Library added elementary schools and health sciences libraries to that growing list of institutions. Through remote access protocols, we are providing New Hampshire citizens with powerful resources for self-development and an indispensable tool for New Hampshire businesses.

As we planned for the new union catalog and developed the requests for proposals for vendors to respond to, we utilized librarians in New Hampshire who could help us determine which system would best fit the needs of the New Hampshire library community. The involvement of the stakeholders in this process was critical; it has given the State Library confidence that we have chosen the best system we could for New Hampshire. The State Library sees its role very clearly. We will continue to add services which will provide access to information resources that will be of value to New Hampshire citizens.

-Michael York, State Librarian