Ms. Abby S. Milstein

Among those attending the event were Abby Milstein, New York Public Library Trustee; Howard Milstein, CEO, Emigrant Savings Bank, lead sponsor of Summer Reading; Zhen Hui Gao, Summer Reading Participant; Ronald Chan, Supervising Librarian, Chatham Square Regional Branch Library; Jia Qi Gao, sister of Zhen Hui Gao; Paul LeClerc, President, The New York Public Library; and Susan Kent, Director and Chief Executive of the Branch Libraries, The New York Public Library.

A report by Abby S. Milstein, Co-chair of the Regents Commission on Library Services, to Chancellor of the Board of Regents Carl Hayden and Commissioner of Education Richard Mills outlined progress the Commission has made since its last meeting in July.
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Following meetings of the task forces on September 28th, the Commission itself met on September 29th; Ms. Milstein reported that the Commission has defined a series of key recommendations it will continue to develop.

On September 28th, the Commission leadership discussed Commission progress with the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries.Council members expressed enthusiasm for the work of the Commission.

Meeting as a whole, the Commission formally endorsed the proposal for a statewide virtual library and statewide e-library card, labeled NOVEL, the New York On-Line Virtual Electronic Library.The Regents have expressed interest in including the NOVEL initiative in their upcoming legislative recommendations.

Ms. Abby S. Milstein - Attorney-at-Law, Constantine & Partners, Co-Chair of the NY Regents Commission on Library Services, and Trustee of The New York Public Library

Abby S. Milstein, Co-Chair of the Regents Commission on Library Services and trustee of The New York Public Library, provided an overview of the 2000 Regents Commission, and the process by which it took a visionary look at library service in New York State and developed a comprehensive set of ten policy recommendations, which now forms the basis of the Regents "New Century Libraries" legislative initiative.She provided an update on progress made in implementing some of the Commission's recommendations with the help of federal funding sources, but also emphasized the many urgent needs that remain.

Abby Milstein , a partner in Constantine and Partners Law firm and a Trustee of the New York Public Library , served as Co-Chair of the Regents Commission on Library Services.
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Abby MilsteinCo-Chair , Regents Commission for Library ServicesTrustee , The New York Public Library

When we did our initial study , the Regents Commission on Library Services found that New Yorkers use their libraries at almost 10 % above the national average.Add to that the fact that 83 % of the State's minorities and 65 % of elderly New Yorkers live in our largest cities , and the greater demands for library services in our cities becomes clear.New Century Libraries will ensure that every New Yorker has the library services they need in the new century , and the Urban Library Initiative makes a special commitment to serving urban New Yorkers by implementing one of the Commission's most crucial recommendations..

The line-up of speakers was impressive: Sandra Galef, Assemblywoman, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Libraries and Technology; Joel Klein, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education; Paul LeClerc, President of The New York Public Library; Richard Mills, Commissioner of Education; Abby Milstein, Co-chair, Regents Commission on Library Services and Trustee of The New York Public Library; Adelaide Sanford, Vice Chancellor, New York State Board of Regents; Rocco Staino, President, NYLA; Lucille Thomas, President of the Board of Trustees, Brooklyn Public Library; and Janet Welch, State Librarian.
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Abby Milstein spoke eloquently about the vision for library service to New Yorkers as expressed in the New Century Libraries recommendations.