Why VILINET…

The interest in re-instituting The Virgin Islands Library Network (VILINET) is evident as indicated by the level of involvement of library institutions and librarians in the Territory to take advantage of existing resources available at the various library institutions.  The public is becoming more determined to use technology and associated resources to fill their information needs.  High school students are making heavy demands on the public and university libraries; home-school students are taking advantage of the public library and university library services; private schools are aware of the value of the online resources/catalogs offered by the V.I. libraries. 

The difference between VIALS (Virgin Islands Automated Library System) and VILINET (The Virgin Islands Library Network) is that VIALS as it exists currently, is a component of the public library system (Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums) which is solely the computer system which host the collections and patron records of the V.I. public libraries and three of four public high schools and the two curriculum center collections of the (Department of Education).  VILINET offers the remaining library/information/education institutions to take the opportunity to benefit from all the resources available in and outside of the Territory. 

Categorically VILINET will be able to maximize effectiveness of libraries through cooperation among libraries; establish opportunities for shared services; advocate for libraries and librarianship; aggregate the power of VILINET members;

Examples:

Collection Development--VILINET enters an agreement to purchase a collection of Caribbean thesis/dissertations in book format; this collection would be housed in one or more of the institutions or if the collection is in digitized format, would be made available via the Internet for the member institutions.

Union Catalog--Establishing a union catalog of libraries in the Territory

Disaster Preparedness—VILINET takes on the initiative to ensure that the collective planning of the libraries in the Territory for disaster is in line with the requirements/expectations of entities such as FEMA, Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, insurance companies (policy limitations), etc.

Human Resource Development—establishing criteria for professional and para-professional training for all library institutions (improve skills and capabilities and broaden the horizons of staff of member libraries).

Inter-library loan—currently there is no established inter-library loan system between all the existing libraries in the Territory, particularly the public library, the school libraries and the university libraries.

Standards—develop and promote standards for Territorial libraries.

Financial Support:

Currently the Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums (DLAM) provides the funds for VIALS with the understanding that libraries that come online with the system pay an annual fee for maintaining their collections and patron records. 

Routinely library professionals and staff participate in a number of library oriented activities associated with their individual agencies.  Funds for VILINET related activities associated with this project beyond the budgeted items are absorbed by the DLAM (examples: use of facilities for meetings, basic administrative cost like phone, conference calls, mailing, copying, ground transport and travel between islands, use of computers and other equipment, web presence, etc.).

To continue VILINET much support will be in-kind from the three executive institutions.  A pro-rata fee arrangement based on the level of resources demanded by each institution of the VILINET will be charged to the new member institution and used to cover the administrative cost of VILINET.