Dear members It’s with great excitement that I’m writing to share the news that I’m now the first (!) Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute (see http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk). The OII was announced last May and officially became a department of the University of Oxford in August. It wants to become ‘the world’s leading independent centre of excellence in academic research on the impact of the Internet on society, and in informing policy and generating debate.’ Unlike some Internet centres its stress is on the social rather than the technical side of Internet activities – and it wants to be independent, neutral and multidisciplinary. The Institute is very keen to make links with colleagues world-wide and wants to network right away with interested academics and other internet-linked centres (and to encourage academics to apply for Visiting Fellowships etc). I do hope aoir members will visit the website and make contact with OII there – there’s also news of the OII’s Inaugural Conference on 27 September, 2002! While at OII I will start editing a book series called the Internet Research Toolkit (Sage Publishers, UK and US). This series will set out to give a definitive picture of the areas and issues that are integral to Internet research – different books will encompass the key methodological, practical and theoretical opportunities and concerns. However, the interlinking nature of these areas of interest will be reflected in the publishing format – the books (each between 80 and 120 pages) will be published as a boxed set. Each book will also be available for individual purchase. The ‘box’ increases the potential for dissemination of work across interest boundaries - and all book box authors will be encouraged to strongly reference all other ‘box’ authors where appropriate. I am hoping that aoir members will share with me their ideas of the key areas ‘books in the box’ should cover. I am also keen to hear from anyone who thinks they might be the person to write one of these books – or who can suggest someone else who is clearly the right person to write a particular book. I’d be very grateful if colleagues could send me their views and suggestions off-list. Hope to see you in Oxford in September! All the best Chris (Mann)