SML/NJ is a functional language that I first learned while taking a compilers course at Georgia Tech, and while I think it's a cool language, it's rather lacking as far as library code. Code for things like database access, network protocols and grapical interfaces simply aren't readily available. The occasional library that is written in a language other than C will at least have C bindings, while SML bindings for anything are the rarest of beasts. Besides being unable to see the world outside, the realm inside SML often seems barren, providing little more than the minimal core of a utility library. These projects are, in part, as well as those being written by others, an attempt to rectify this unfortunate situation.
All of the projects are available through the anonymous CVS access described in the main project index and through the ViewVC interface.
Some other people are also attempting to fill the world with SML code. Have a look at their projects.