New Jersey State Library

Beginning at 5 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2008, New Jersey Knowledge Initiative vendors will begin a rolling shutdown of the online resources funded by this statewide program. We regret to report that despite numerous visits to legislators, the Governor’s office and other state agencies, no bridge funding has been forthcoming to support the database costs through the remainder of this fiscal year. However, the Governor’s budget for FY09 does currently call for a $2 million allotment for NJKI to start July 1, 2008. Your advocacy will continue to be critical throughout the upcoming budget process. The task force will reconvene in the near future to determine the specifics of the next NJKI program. Other funding sources will also continue to be explored to enhance this initiative.

Sincerely,

The NJKI Task Force

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The State Library is partnering with the Children’s and Teen Services Sections of NJLA to offer librarians the opportunity to meet with three authors at the 2008 New Jersey Statewide Children’s and Young Adult Author Conference. This year’s feature authors are: Kevin C. Pyle, author of the graphic novel Blindspot; Marie Lamba, author of the teen novel What I Meant and Sarah Beth Durst, author fantasy Into the Wild; Tonya Bolden, whose newest nonfiction book is George Washington Carver; and Michael Reisman, whose forthcoming book is Simon Bloom, The Gravity Keeper.

Date: April 11
Time: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
Where: Woodbridge Public Library

A light breakfast and lunch will be included. Come for coffee at 9:30 AM, with the program to start at 10:00 AM. Copies of the author’s books will be available to purchase and have signed by the authors. Full Story

Links:
Registration Form
YouTube Book Trailer made by Sarah’s fan

Recent research shows that teens use technology more than ever-they play video games, surf the Web, and listen to music they’ve downloaded or accessed online nearly every day, according to several recent studies. During Teen Tech Week, March 2 - 8, more than 1,500 libraries across the country will showcase technology available to teens that will enhance their information literacy skills-and show teens and their parents how to be safe while doing so.

Multiple studies show that the majority of young people lack the critical thinking and information literacy skills needed to use online resources effectively and safely. Yet in a 2006 study conducted by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, only about one-third of students surveyed reported that Internet safety and other skills were being taught at schools. Full Story

Due to the lack of state funding, the existing multiyear contracts with NJKI database vendors have ended effective February 28. These vendors include Ebsco, Nature, Wiley, Ovid and RefUSA. Journal articles and data are no longer accessible through NJKI for the next four months. We hope and expect to have an NJKI program available in the ‘09 state budget to begin July 1, 2008.

The NJKI Task Force would appreciate your contacting the Governor’s office.

Mail: PO Box 0001, Trenton NJ 08625
Phone: 609-292-6000
E-mail: Go to http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html
Select “Commerce” as your topic, then “Small Business” as your sub-topic

Contact your local legislators to let them know what the NJKI databases meant to you in terms of helping you grow your business, conduct your research or earn your degree.

The NJKI Task Force hopes you will strike a positive tone as you urge the Governor and local legislators to resume supporting this statewide shared service that had 15 million uses over the past two years while simultaneously saving $68.5 million dollars over retail prices.

Link: NJKI

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TRENTON, N.J. - The New Jersey State Library, in partnership with PSE&G, and with help from Newark Mayor Cory Booker, launched a major initiative to offer free homework help to the students, residents and users of seven major public libraries around the state.

Thanks to a new program called “Homework Help NJ,” students in grades 4 to 12 can get free help with their math, science, social studies and English assignments via the Internet. This online tutoring program delivered by Tutor.com allows students with library cards to chat online with tutors that can help them tackle their homework problems. Spanish-speaking tutors are available for help with math and science assignments. Full Story

Links: Photos from event

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Statewide Internet resource lets residents discover their roots from home