Free Internet Access

[ELINOR HABER <K12EZH@VAXC.HOFSTRA.EDU>]

From:   VAXC::K12BOKAC     "CAROL KROLL"  9-JUN-1994 15:54:35.29
To:     IN%"LM_NET@SUVM.SYR.EDU"
CC:     K12BOKAC
Subj:   Free Internet Access

FIFTEEN THOUSAND NEW TRAVELERS FOR THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY--
AND SCHOOL LIBRARIANS WILL BE DIRECTING TRAFFIC

An historic partnership between a county school library system and Hofstra
University is offering 10,000 free Internet passwords to schoolki in Nassauau
County, New York and an estimated 5,000 more to their teachers and principals.
     But the passwords are being carefully parcelled out. School librarians in
100 schools will be selected as Internet trainers and managers.  Each will
receive enough passwords for 50 of the districts' administrators and faculty
and for 100 students. That way an experienced information manager--namely, the
librarian--will be there to guide kids as they journey into cyberspace.
     "Schools have been looking for ways to educate children about what's going
on in technology," says Nassau School Library System administrator Carol Kroll.
"Our parent agency, Nassau BOCES and Hofstra University have found a way to
make this happen."
     Duringgthe 1993-94 school year, school library media specialists in 19
local districts were part of a pilot program and received Internet training
which they passed on to administrators, teachers and students in their
districts. The new agreement expands the number of participating schools, with
the Nassau School Library System agreeing to initially install 20 modems and
standard telephone lines to connect to Hofstra's network. The University, on
its part, is committed to providing--at no cost--the mainframe resources
necessary for Internet access for 100 schools. Passwords will be made available
for the library media specialists, administrators and teachers in the schools,
as well as for the 100 youngsters. Hofstra will also make its training lab
available for the project and the library media specialists will each receive
three days of training.
     Each school will be only billed $65--the annual cost of maintaining the
comunication lines.
     "I know nothing like this is happening anywhere else in New York State,"
says Kroll, "and there may not be another school/university partnership like
this anywhere."
     Hofstra Direcotr of Academic Computing, Dr. Lanny Udey, says there are
many reasons for the University's enthusiasm about the venture. "For one thing,
we're interested in getting the best and brightest students, and when we get
them, we'd like them to be well prepared. If they come to us with a thorough
understanding of information resources and how they're used, students can hit
the ground running."
     Another innovation is Hofstra's understanding of the role of a university.
"We're in the knowledge-brokering business," says Udey, "and we're actively
planning for the year 2010. It's not an easy task--but there's no doubt
technology will play a central role."
     The Nassau School Library System is administered by the Board of
Cooperative Educational Services of Nassau County and includes 325 public and
private school libraries, with more than 350 library media specialists. It
provides services including professional training, a countyide interlibrary
loan system and the automation of school libraries.
     For more information, contact Barbara Behrens, Nassau BOCES Office of
Information. Phone 516-997-8700, ext.2209; Fax: 516-997-6459; or Prodigy
WCXC09A. Or contact Carol Kroll, NSLS  Phone: 516-248-7592; Fax: 516-747-0418;
or e-mail K12BOKAC@VAXC.HOFSTR.EDU